President-elect Biden and vice president–elect Harris have already announced that combating violence and supporting survivors of intimate partner violence will be a priority for their administration. Practitioners and researchers agree it is not a question of whether we should help survivors, especially as COVID-19 has illuminated just how vulnerable the survivors are in times of crisis and isolation, but how.

Recent evidence suggests that to create lasting change, investments in prevention and support are among the most impactful for survivors. Here are steps the new federal government, local governments, the private sector, and philanthropy could take.

  • Elevate strengths-based approaches that help survivors grow Many experts have emphasized the need to shift from an approach that highlights deficits to one that promotes survivors’ capacity building.  A recent systematic review of evidence shows that investing in social and mental health supports are among the most promising interventions.
  • Recognize diversity among survivors, and tailor programming accordingly Survivors are not a monolith. They are diverse and, thus, have diverse needs. To deliver the best care, the field needs a better understanding of the needs of survivors of color (for example, the differing needs (PDF) of Caribbean and immigrant African survivors), survivors who identify as LGBTQ, and Native American women and Native American men.
  • Address issues at the root cause; help people who cause harm Preventing or eradicating intimate partner violence is impossible without focusing on people who cause harm and investing in their well-being and helping them heal (PDF). Early interventions with young people are key in primary prevention efforts (PDF), but intervening with adults is also important.

Read the full article about gender-based violence by Marina Duane at Urban Institute.