STOP:  Stop Intimate Partner Violence 

Project description

Background: The project begins from the assumption that to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), intimate partner violence (IPV) must be addressed. Research shows that violence against women is associated with significant SRH problems and that the most common form of violence is that performed by a male partner.  Pregnancy offers a window of opportunity for prevention of IPV through antenatal care. The main objective of the STOP-project is to address IPV among pregnant women through a change in attitude and behaviour via an eHealth intervention. This project takes a two-country comparative approach, aiming to empower pregnant women exposed to IPV through a change in attitude and behaviour via an eHealth intervention. The research will be conducted in Denmark and Spain

Objectives:  The project’s overall objective is to empower European women exposed to IPV during pregnancy through change in attitude and behaviour via an eHealth solution. This will be achieved through the implementation and evaluation of an eHealth intervention comprising of tools for identification of pregnant women at risk of IPV followed by video counselling of those found to be exposed in two regions of Denmark and Spain.

The specific objectives are:

1. To develop a systematic risk screening programme for identification of pregnant women exposed to IPV, using validated tools or questionnaires embedded electronically in antenatal care (WP 2);
2. To develop a bespoke video counselling programme delivered by staff specifically trained for guiding pregnant women exposed to IPV, using individually tailored eHealth intervention to improve safety planning (WP 3);
3. To conduct risk screening and counselling in two regions of Denmark and Spain to improve support for pregnant women with IPV exposure for their empowerment and reduction in perinatal depression and repeated IPV episodes (WP 4);
4. To prepare the basis for a large-scale future IPV interventions within antenatal care settings by conducting a pilot/feasibility RCT (randomised controlled trial) (WP 5);
5. To evaluate and disseminate via plain language reports in the media and scientific outputs increasing awareness about IPV during pregnancy among patients and public authorities (WP 1).

Outputs:  1) Improved knowledge and capacity of health care professional in assessing IPV risk among pregnant women empowering them to effectively screen with eHealth; 2) Improved knowledge and capacity of health care professional in preventing IPV among pregnant women; 3) Identification of pregnant women exposed to IPV followed by prevention and protection; 4) The basis for large scale future IPV interventions within antenatal care settings developed through a feasibility study and a pilot RCT performed as part of the project with the development of a rigorous protocol for a randomized control trial and future upscaling across ed countries.