The goal of the proposed project is to develop, implement, and evaluate a socio-culturally relevant primary prevention program to reduce first-time physical IPV in an Indian community in Metro Detroit, Michigan.
Specific Aims i nclude: 1) To create a Community Action Team (CAT) of Gujarati residents and strengthen their capacity to prevent IPV; 2) To work with the CAT to develop and implement an IPV Prevention Communication Campaign based on behavior change theory and social marketing approaches; and 3) To evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign and CAT program using a quasi-experimental and longitudinal design. The campaign will use print/electronic media and local activities (e.g., theater and community forums). Drawing from exchange and feminist theories, the Campaign will promote non-violent alternatives and more egalitarian relationships and will challenge norms that condone IPV, such as family privacy. ? ? Campaign impact on the community at large will be evaluated using surveys at pre-and post-intervention with random samples of Gujarati residents, augmented by key informant interviews, review of project activity records, and participant observations. Written surveys will assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors (KABB) about IPV, including reduction in first-time IPV perpetration/victimization, decreased tolerance for IPV, increase in knowledge about and practice of alternatives to abusive tactics and/or violence, and enhanced couple communication. In addition, a longitudinal cohort design will be used to assess changes in CAT members' KABB in similar domains over time. ? ? Few IPV prevention projects or their evaluations exist in Asian and other immigrant communities. The proposed project will help fill this gap by providing valuable data on how to design a socio-culturally effective reduction, both in attitudes condoning IPV and perpetration of IPV among a growing, but seriously under-served, immigrant community. Since IPV is prevalent and associated with serious and long-lasting health consequences, such information in turn will help reduce the health burden of IPV in diverse communities. ? ? ?
