This new research agenda will contribute to identifying evidence gaps and building knowledge in a more systematic way on the intersections between violence against women and violence against children.

There is growing global recognition that violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC), and in particular intimate partner violence (IPV) against women and violence against children by parents or caregivers, intersect in different ways. However, efforts to address IPV and VAC often remain fragmented, prevention and response interventions tend to focus on one form of violence, while the VAC and VAW research fields continue to work in silos. At the same time, researchers and practitioners from the VAC and VAW fields are also seeking ways to better collaborate and thus ensure the best outcomes for victims / survivors of both types of violence.

To meet these needs and identify key evidence gaps, SVRI, in partnership with the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti is partnership and the World Health Organization (WHO),  have collaboratively developed a research agenda for the intersections of VAC and VAW.

The new research agenda will contribute to building knowledge in a more systematic way, ensure that research efforts make the best use of limited resources, and serve to monitor progress over time. More concretely, it will also inform the implementation of the multiagency RESPECT Women and INSPIRE frameworks, support UNICEF’s commitment to respond to the gender dimensions of violence, guide SVRI Grant-making and promote coherence in the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Methodology of the Research Agenda on the Intersections Between VAW & VAC

The research priority setting process builds on the lessons learned from the previously developed Global Shared Research Agenda on Violence Against Women and Girls, led by SVRI and the Equality Institute, with participation from UNICEF Innocenti and the WHO, among others. An adapted version of the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method was used in online surveys (in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Arabic) and in meetings to crowd source insights to promote participation and minimize the risk of bias.

Therefore, a consultative and inclusive approach was developed, with the insights of a wide array of stakeholders working on both VAW and VAC identifying areas where research can enhance coordination and build bridges between both fields.

SVRI, UNICEF Innocenti and WHO/HRP together made up the Coordinating Group to carry out this process. An Advisory Group comprised of representatives from research and practice on VAC-VAW intersections from around the globe helped develop the framework and provided technical input and guidance throughout.

Finally, a broad group of Global Stakeholders – including researchers, advocates, policymakers, and practitioners representing different countries, settings, disciplines and areas of focus –  provided inputs and promoted dissemination and implementation of the final research agenda widely.

Priority setting process: the 7 phases

In partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s Gender Violence and Health Centre, we produced a systematic review on the co-occurrence of intimate partner violence and violence against children; and a second systematic review focusing on interventions that address both intimate partner violence and violence against children. This second systematic review was presented on July 3, 2024, in a webinar hosted by UNICEF, LSHTM, and SVRI.

The Coordinating and Advisory Groups developed a framework to identify research domains along with criteria to rank questions. The five established domains during the process were:

• Domain 1. Strengthening of our understanding of the intersections between violence against children and violence against women
• Domain 2. Interventions and services focused on the intersections between violence against children and violence against women
• Domain 3. Tools, methods and measurements for research on the intersections between violence against children and violence against women
• Domain 4. Coordination and collaboration across the sectors concerned with violence against women and violence against children
• Domain 5. Policy research

Stakeholders were invited to generate research questions for the five domains in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish, thus receiving 463 questions from 86 respondents.

The coordinating group defined the scoring criteria based on the GSRA, and online surveys were created to rank the research questions and provide additional inputs to identify research questions considered a priority by the field. The surveys were available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish and we received 153 completed responses.

A more detailed description of each step of the process is available here, and more information can be found by watching the technical briefing sessions  hosted on 3 March 2022.

Key Findings of the Research Agenda on the Intersections Between VAW & VAC

10 research questions were identified as top priorities for research on the intersections between violence against children and violence against women. The five top were:

1. What are the essential elements of effective integrated programmes to address violence against women and violence against children?
2. How can parenting programmes be adapted to effectively prevent multiple forms of violence against children and violence against women?
3. What are innovative and valid measures for violence against women and violence against children that have been developed and tested in low-resource settings via participatory approaches?
4. How can we use the evidence of the violence against children–violence against women intersections to develop a common language and a shared framework for effective coordination and collaboration?
5. What are the policies which address violence against women and violence against children together?

Additionally, some of the main findings of the priority setting process were:

• There is overall agreement across groups, a key finding also in other research agendas.
• The ranking emphasizes intervention research (domain 2) rather than epidemiological research (domain 1).
• The top ranked question scored 3 points more than the next question, suggesting that this question is a particularly high priority for research in the field.
• Those working on VAC ranked parenting their top priority while those working on VAC and VAW ranked it third.
• There is overall agreement across HICs and LMICs on top priority, but LMICs prioritized intervention research while HICs also included policy.
• There was variation across various marginalized groups, highlighting the need for more nuanced understanding.

The main findings of the report were also presented in a webinar and discussed with a panel of experts.

Implications for the Field

The report and the systematic reviews underscore the importance of having a broader  approach in the study of violence against women and violence against children. Earlier life experiences of abuse, neglect or family violence can establish patterns of victimisation and perpetration in adolescents which reinforced by harmful gender norms, can turn into predictable family disruptions and violence during adulthood. Therefore, having a life course approach is key to break the intergenerational cycle of violence. Similarly, research and interventions should focus on multiple components going beyond the survivor, individual or couple level and involve the wider community.

At the same time, coordinated efforts from multisectoral settings and big institutions should focus on maximizing resources between the VAC and VAW field, thus aligning policy and funding efforts.