Policy reform has enormous potential to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) - yet this area is surprisingly under-researched. Through systems such as education, legal frameworks, and social protection policies, governments and their policies are uniquely placed to shape the environments in which violence either thrives - or is prevented.
So, what policies can reduce intimate partner violence at scale? In this episode, we explore how areas such as education systems, legal frameworks, and social protection policies have the power to shape safer, more equitable societies.
Your host is: Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI).
This episode’s guests are:
Dr Rachael Pierotti, Senior Social Scientist at the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab.
Dr Tara Cookson, Canada Research Chair in Gender, Development & Global Public Policy at the University of British Columbia, and Co-founder of Ladysmith.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How education, family law, and property rights affect intimate partner violence
➡︎ The four ways social protection can prevent intimate partner violence
➡︎ Why this research area remains underexplored
➡︎ Examples of innovations linking violence prevention and social protection
➡︎ How evidence can guide policy and practice
⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram.
🌐Check out the SVRI website.
🎥 Watch our film on YouTube.
💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Elizabeth Dartnall.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Resources:
Please share new resources with us at svri@svri.org.
Understanding intimate partner violence (IPV) requires more than a snapshot in time. Long-term studies that follow people and communities over years can reveal patterns, risks, and protective factors as well as outcomes that shorter-term research often overlooks. They help us see how violence develops, changes, or declines across different stages of life.
In this episode, we explore why this kind of research matters for prevention, what challenges researchers face in carrying it out, and how the findings can shape policies and programmes that make a real difference.
Your host is: Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, Sexual Violence Research Initative (SVRI).
This episode’s guests are:
Kate Doyle, Senior Fellow at Equimundo, and part of the team behind Rwanda's Bandebereho programme
Dr Khadija Mitu, Research Lead on the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) research programme, and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ Why long-term evidence matters in IPV prevention
➡︎ The challenges and responsibilities of conducting longitudinal research
➡︎ How policymakers and practitioners can use this evidence to improve prevention efforts
➡︎ Top tips for securing funding for longitudinal studies
⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram.
🌐Check out the SVRI website.
🎥 Watch our film on YouTube.
💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Ayesha Mago.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Resources:
https://www.equimundo.org/bandebereho/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.equimundo.org/programs/program-p/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Please share new resources with us at svri@svri.org.
Universities and colleges are meant to be spaces of learning, growth, and opportunity. Yet for many, they can also be environments where sexual and gender based violence occurs and is left unaddressed. Power imbalances, entrenched hierarchies, and lack of oversight mean survivors are often silenced while perpetrators go unchallenged.
In this episode, Dr Anna Bull, Senior Lecturer of Education and Social Justice at the University of York and Director of The 1752 Group, helps us explore the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence in higher education settings and ask what more needs to be done to ensure these institutions are safe and equitable.
Your host is: Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI).
This episode’s guest is:
Dr Anna Bull, Senior Lecturer of Education and Social Justice at the University of York, and Director of The 1752 Group
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How sexual violence shows up in higher education today
➡︎ The impact of power and institutional culture
➡︎ The important role student activism plays in creating change
➡︎ What needs to change to build safer campuses
⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram.
🌐Check out the SVRI website.
🎥 Watch our film on YouTube.
💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Ayesha Mago.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Resources:
See our full list of resources for this episode here.
Around the world, organisations and activists working to end violence against women and violence against children are facing unprecedented threats, from political instability to shrinking civic space and economic strain. Most recently the devastating cuts to global development funding - particularly the closure of major donors like USAID - has sent shockwaves through the sector. For those who work in the field this is not just a funding crisis - it’s a matter of survival, for prevention and response services, communities and, at times, for lives.
So what can be done and where do we find hope in such challenging times? We are joined by South African human rights and social justice activist, Mark Heywood, and Dr Chay Brown, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Her Story, to discuss what it means to grow and strengthen our work in a time of crisis. How can we grow stronger, together? And how do we create a more collaborative, connected, and resilient ecosystem across different disciplines, movements, and sectors?
Your host is: Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI).
This episode’s guests are:
- Mark Heywood, South African human rights and social justice activist
- Dr Chay Brown, Co-founder and Managing Director of Her Story Consulting
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How recent crises have exposed the fragility of our field
➡︎ Why we need to move beyond silos and foster intersectional collaboration
➡︎ What it takes to sustain activism and research in times of political and economic turmoil
⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram.
🌐Check out the SVRI website.
🎥 Watch our film on YouTube.
💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Elizabeth Dartnall.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Resources:
https://brill.com/view/journals/prot/5/1/article-p85_005.xml
https://academic.oup.com/jhrp/article-abstract/11/2/305/5536675
Please share new resources with us at svri@svri.org.
This week we turn our attention to gender-based violence and LGBTQ+ communities. GBV within LGBTQ+ communities is a serious yet under-researched issue. In many global and humanitarian settings, the experiences of queer and trans people are frequently ignored or erased and much of the existing research tends to focus on heteronormative, high income country perspectives. Where targeted research does exist on the LGBTQ+ community, the data is often not disaggregated which means we’re missing critical information.
In this episode we are joined by Dr Jessica Ison, Senior Lecturer at La Trobe University and Deputy Director at the Reducing Gender-Based Violence Research Group, and Dr Charbel Maydaa, Founder and Director of MOSAIC, to discuss why addressing these gaps in research is essential to ensuring that we build responses that are equitable, accurate, and truly protective for all communities.
Your host is: Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, Sexual Violence Research Initative (SVRI)
This episode’s guests are:
Dr Jessica Ison, Senior Lecturer, La Trobe Rural Health School & Deputy Director, Reducing Gender-Based Violence Research Group
Charbel Maydaa, Founder & Director, MOSAIC
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How gaps in GBV research can lead to LGBTQ+ communities being misrepresented as ‘risky’ or ‘deviant’
➡︎ How politics, war and social exclusion are affecting lesbian and trans women in places like Turkey and Lebanon
➡︎ How traditional family values and deep-rooted sexism are preventing LGBTQ+ communities from accessing the services they need
⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram.
🌐Check out the SVRI website.
🎥 Watch our film on YouTube.
💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Ayesha Mago.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Resources:
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/queer-and-animal-provocations-9781666944754/
https://www.svriforum2022.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Henri-Myrttinen-MOSAIC.pdf
Please share new resources with us at svri@svri.org.
Faith and religion are central to the lives of billions of people around the world. In many communities, faith leaders are among the most trusted voices, holding significant influence in shaping beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. This makes them powerful allies in the prevention of and response to gender based violence (GBV), yet working at the intersection of faith and GBV can be complex.
In this episode of the Sexual Violence Research podcast we learn more about the SVRI’s Faith & GBV Community of Practice - a new network bringing together researchers, practitioners, activists, and faith leaders. Host Elizabeth Dartnall is joined by Lisa le Roux, who is leading this work for the SVRI and shares how the initiative is creating space for reflection, connection, and change within faith communities across Africa.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ Why faith leaders are important partners in ending GBV.
➡︎ How religious beliefs can both challenge and support gender justice.
➡︎ What the Faith & GBV Community of Practice is and how it works.
➡︎ Why trust-building between development and faith actors is crucial for real impact.
Your host is: Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI).
📱Connect with Lisa le Roux.
⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram.
🌐Check out the SVRI website.
🎥 Watch our film on YouTube.
💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Ayesha Mago.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Resources:
https://www.whatworks.co.za/global-programme-projects/tearfund-drc
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/26330024241246810?icid=int.sj-full-text.citing-articles.27
Please share new resources with us at svri@svri.org.
Conflict zones are places of immense hardship - with people facing displacement, broken healthcare systems, and separation from families and communities. But when sexual violence is added to the equation, the challenges for survivors become even greater. Conflict-related sexual violence is not only deeply traumatising, it is also used as a tool of control, instilling fear, silencing communities, and shattering any remaining sense of safety. It is chilling in its intent and impact, stripping people of dignity and can leave scars that endure long after the fighting stops. Survivors deserve support that is immediate, sustained, and rooted in care, alongside concrete action to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further harm.
In this episode of the SVRI podcast we explore the critical and often overlooked issue of conflict-related sexual violence. We’re joined by Chen Reis, Clinical Associate Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, and Abraraw Tadesse, medical doctor and Regional Project Coordinator at Amref Health Africa, Ethiopia. Together they discuss what conflict-related sexual violence really means, how it differs from other forms of gender-based violence, and why centering survivors is essential to prevention and response.
Your host is: Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, Sexual Violence Research Initative (SVRI).
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ What conflict-related sexual violence (CRV) is and who’s most affected.
➡︎ How the nature of CRV is evolving in modern conflict settings.
➡︎ What needs to be done to reduce intimate partner violence during times of conflict.
➡︎ Why survivor-centered approaches must be at the heart of GBV programming in humanitarian contexts.
📱Connect with Chen Reis and Abraraw Tadesse.
⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram.
🌐Check out the SVRI website.
🎥 Watch our film on YouTube.
💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Ayesha Mago.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Resources:
Please share new resources with us at svri@svri.org.
Measuring the impact of violence prevention interventions is crucial to understanding which efforts are truly making a difference in reducing sexual violence. But are the current methods able to capture the full scope of this complex issue? What if there were more reliable, comprehensive ways to assess the true effectiveness of our work.
In this episode, Sangeeta Chatterji, Director of Research at SVRI, shares insights on a proposed new approach to measuring success in violence prevention. We’re also joined by Kate Falb, Assistant Professor at the Center for Humanitarian Health in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who explains how integrating transdisciplinary approaches could lead to more holistic and effective violence prevention interventions.
Your host is: Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, Sexual Violence Research Initative (SVRI).
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ Why outcome measures matter
➡︎ How integrating transdisciplinary approaches could improve outcomes
➡︎ How researchers balance the ethics of transdisciplinary research
➡︎ Why more integration between disciplines is needed
📱Connect with Kate Falb and Sangeeta Chatterji
⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram
🌐Check out the SVRI website
🎥 Watch our film on YouTube
💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Elizabeth Dartnall.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Resources:
Please share new resources with us at svri@svri.org.
The manosphere is a sprawling online network of forums, influencers, and content that brings together ideas about men, power, gender roles and identity, often promoting misogyny and even driving real-world violence.
The manosphere’s influence is growing and becoming a powerful force in shaping young men's world views. But what do we actually know about the manosphere, and what needs to be done to effectively challenge it?
In this episode of the Sexual Violence Research Podcast, Gary Barker, President and CEO of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, shares insights into the psychology and appeal of the manosphere, its links to gender-based violence, and the urgent need for better research and intervention strategies.
Your host is: Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, Sexual Violence Research Initative (SVRI).
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ About the rise of the manosphere.
➡︎ Why young men are drawn to these communities
➡︎ How misogynistic narratives online can translate into real-world violence
➡︎ The gaps in research on the manosphere
➡︎ What parents, educators, and policymakers can do to push back
📱Connect with Gary Barker.
📚Learn more about Equimundo here.
⚡Follow SVRI on Instagram.
🌐Check out the SVRI website.
💬 Connect with the SVRI svri@svri.org and our host, Ayesha Mago.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Further resources:
Stochastic Gender-Based Violence: How Incels Justify and Encourage Sexualized Violence Against Women
Please share new resources with us at svri@svri.org.
The SVRI Forum 2024 brought together a diverse group of researchers, activists, donors, practitioners, and survivors, united by a shared goal: to create a world free from violence against women and violence against children.
In this special episode, we hear from 10 of the incredible voices who attended the Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. These changemakers reflect on their favourite moments, key takeaways, and what they hope others will learn from their work in the fight against gender-based violence.
Our guests are:
Prabu Deepan, Tearfund
Melissa Wong Oviedo, Equimundo
Akosua Dardaine Edwards, NiNa
Amy Bretherton, UN Spotlight
Myriam Sidibe, Brands on a Mission
Bothaina Eltigani, Oxford University
Yvonne Themba, SVRI Director
Dinnah Nabwire, African Women’s Development Fund
Francesco Cecon, ECPAT
Nisha Pahuja, Documentary Filmmaker
Your host is:
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
This podcast was recorded on the last day of the SVRI Forum 2024. To learn more about the SVRI and our mission, visit svri.org.
Additional resources & reading:
Read up about The SVRI Forum 2024 here: https://www.svriforum2024.org/
Watch Nisha Pahuja’s film, To Kill A Tiger here: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81766865
The fight against gender-based violence is a 365 day commitment, but for 16 days each year, the global community unites to raise awareness, ignite conversations, and take action during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
In this special co-hosted episode with UN Women, we take a deep dive into the significance of this annual campaign and the critical work being done to address gender-based violence worldwide. We explore the lasting legacy of the Mirabal sisters, whose assassination in 1960 became the catalyst for this global movement, and we reflect on how the 16 Days campaign is more than just a period of awareness - it’s an invitation to reflect, act, and commit to lasting change.
Your guests are:
Clarisa Bencomo, Project Director for Gender Justice at the City University of New York
Nicole Pichardo, Activist and feminist from the Dominican Republic
Your hosts are:
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
Kalliopi Mingeirou, Chief of the Ending Violence Against Women Section, UN Women
One in five girls and one in seven boys will experience some form of sexual violence before their 18th birthday. These statistics are shocking, and high-quality data is crucial for driving tangible change and reducing these numbers.
In this episode, we learn more about the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS), the largest source of data on violence against children worldwide. We’re joined by two women who have worked intensively on the VACS programme: Laura Chiang, Lead Epidemiologist at the Division of Violence Prevention at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Daniela Ligiero, CEO and President of Together for Girls.
Together, we explore how the nationally representative VACS surveys provide ground-breaking insights into childhood and young adult violence, we discuss how this vital information can inform effective interventions and highlight inspiring success stories from countries that have implemented VACS surveys.
Your guests are:
Laura Chiang, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Daniela Ligiero, CEO and President of Together for Girls.
Your host is:
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
This podcast was recorded at the SVRI Forum 2024. Find out more at svri.org.
Survivors hold the key to bringing about empowering and systemic change in the field of gender-based violence. Their stories and their voices must be at the forefront of decision making and policymaking.
In this episode we hear the stories of two extraordinary activists, Kolbassia Haoussou MBE and Jac sm Kee.
Kolbassia is a torture survivor who experienced awful conditions when fleeing persecution. His journey led him to Freedom From Torture, where he is now Survivor Leadership and Influencing Director.
Jac is a feminist activist, writer and researcher from Malaysia, whose work largely focuses on the role of technology in gender-based violence. Alongside a number of roles, she is the co-founder and cartographer of the Numun Fund, which supports the creation of feminist technology.
In this episode we hear Kolbassia’s heart wrenching story, of the trials he faced while overcoming the trauma of torture, leading him to activism. Jac examines both the negative role of technology in perpetuating stereotypes and violence, as well as its benefits and how it can reshape power structures. And we hear how both are fighting for change, influencing governments and tech organisations alike.
Your host is:
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
This podcast was recorded at the SVRI Forum 2024. Find out more at svri.org.
By the age of 16 more than 90% of boys will have watched online pornography, some even as young as nine. Research is also showing us that exposure to increasingly graphic and violent pornography is influencing the sexual behaviours and attitudes of young people, becoming one of their main sources of sexual education.
In this episode we examine the different types of violent sexual behaviours young people are seeing online, and explore the disturbing connections between pornography consumption and rising rates of sexual violence against women and girls. We also discuss what educators, policymakers, and parents can do to address the damaging influence of this multi-billion dollar industry.
Our guests are:
Jennifer Johnson, Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, Virginia Tech
Maree Crabbe, Co-Founder, It’s Time We Talked
Your hosts are:
Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
Find out more at svri.org.
References
https://itstimewetalked.com/resources/articles-and-media/
https://www.breathlesscampaign.com
https://www.breathlesscampaign.com/media
School-Based Education to Address Pornography’s Influence on Young People: A Proposed Practice Framework, American Journal of Sexuality Education by Maree Crabbe & Michael Flood.
Pornography exposure and access among young Australians: a cross-sectional study, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health by Maree Crabbe, Michael Flood & Kelsey Adams.
With around 30% of women globally experiencing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), the need for effective and adaptable interventions is more urgent than ever. In response to this need, the SVRI has developed IPV Adaptation Guidance which highlights adaptation is not a one-size-fits-all process; it must be tailored to suit many different cultural, social, and economic contexts.
In this episode of the Sexual Violence Research Podcast, we explore the critical process of adapting IPV prevention programmes to different contexts, what’s needed to successfully adapt and scale proven IPV prevention programmes for new settings - and some of the challenges implementers can face when adapting programmes.
Our guests are:
Dr. Vandana Sharma, Co-Founder of Equality Insights Lab
Laura Somoggi, Co-CEO of Womanity.
Your hosts are:
Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
Find out more at svri.org.
Sexual violence can happen to anyone and by anyone, but research shows LGBTQI+ communities are targeted specifically because of their identities. While we have seen huge steps towards fairer treatment of LGBTQI+ people, a widespread anti-gender movement is making it more difficult for organisations to effectively prevent and respond to violence against the queer community.
In this episode, we hear about the unique challenges LGBTQI+ people in Eswatini and Sri Lanka face, the policies and programmes working to address violence against LGBTQI+ people and the challenges stakeholders face when carrying out this work. We also hear messages of optimism about how far advocacy work in this space has come and hopes for a brighter, more inclusive future.
Our guests are:
Bheki Sithole, Technical Advisor at Family Health International (FHI) 360 for EpiC Eswatini
Michele Lanham, Director of Knowledge Management, HIV Department, FHI 360
Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, Executive Director, Equal Ground
Your hosts are:
Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
Find out more at svri.org.
Online spaces were not created or designed with children in mind. Children are exposed to all kinds of content on the internet, and interact with strangers daily. As the internet is now ubiquitous in the lives of our children and new technologies emerge rapidly, what can we do to keep them safe from online child sexual violence?
In this episode our guests discuss:
Our guests are:
Shailey Hingorani, Head of Policy, Advocacy and Research, at WeProtect Global Alliance
Amy Crocker, Head of Child Protection and Technology, at ECPAT International
Your hosts are:
Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
Find out more at svri.org.
Why do certain men use violence in certain situations? How do they rationalise their actions? And should researchers approach them with empathy? From masculine ideals, to patriarchal structures, to jealousy, there are many psychological, societal and cultural factors at play in these dynamics.
In this episode our guests walk us through their experiences in researching violent men, what is needed to create useful programmes to stop domestic violence, and what mechanisms they put in place to protect themselves and their teams. We discuss the ethics of talking to men who commit violence, while striking the right balance between humanising them, without accepting their actions. And we ponder whether there’s cause for optimism.
Here’s a link to the paper Nambusi refers to at the beginning of the interview.
Our guests are:
Nambusi Kyegombe, Co-Director of LSHTM's Gender Violence and Health Centre & co-lead the adolescence theme for LSHTM's Centre for Maternal Adolescent and Child Health
Martín di Marco, founder-member of the InterAmerican Anti-Femicide Network (RIAF) & postdoctoral researcher in the Crime in Latin America project at the University of Oslo
Your hosts are:
Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
Find out more at svri.org
Why is it still so hard to talk about sexual exploitation and abuse within humanitarian agencies? What are we doing to safeguard against this kind of violence? While we are slowly building the tools and policies to combat the issues, there are still barriers and challenges the sector needs to address.
In this episode we discuss whether attitudes and behaviours towards reporting sexual exploitation in the aid sector have changed over the years, and learn that there might be reasons for optimism. Our guests share their experience in fighting for better strategies in preventing sexual exploitation and abuse. And we hear why we need more research into which safeguarding strategies are actually effective.
Our guests are:
Dr. Tessie San Martin, CEO at FHI, formerly CEO of Plan International USA
Theodora Suter, Regional Coordinator for the IOM, the UN’s International Organisation for Migration
Your hosts are:
Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
Find out more at svri.org.
What works and what doesn’t in reducing violence driven by gender inequality? While many teams around the world search for the perfect intervention methods to address this pervasive issue, finding out whether those interventions actually work is extremely difficult.
In this episode we discuss the effectiveness and drawbacks of complex evaluation methods, like randomised controlled trials, and learn why they may not capture the nuance and complexity of violence interventions. The panel shares their experiences of RCTs and other unique methods of evaluating interventions. And we hear why greater collaboration and openness is needed, as intervention teams are encouraged to share their methods more widely.
Our guests are:
Lucie Cluver, Professor at Oxford University in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation
Laxman Belbase, global co-director of the MenEngage Alliance.
Your hosts are:
Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI
Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI
Find out more at svri.org.