This report explores the root causes and prevention strategies for domestic violence using a life course analysis. It identifies risk factors from childhood to young adulthood, emphasizing the importance of early intervention and two-generation approaches that address both parents and children. The report critiques the current punitive paradigm, suggesting it may do more harm than good, and advocates for a shift towards prevention and healing. Key findings include the prevalence and consequences of domestic violence, the drivers of such violence, and the need for comprehensive, evidence-based interventions. The document calls for improved data collection, policy changes, and the engagement of multiple sectors to create a future free from domestic violence.
Domestic violence negatively impacts every community in the United States, affecting one in three women and one in four men, with profound and enduring consequences. In addition, one in five children witnesses parental assault, leading to increased risk of experiencing or perpetrating domestic violence as adults, and continuing the cycle of violence.
Blue Shield of California Foundation launched a new strategic direction in 2018 and deepened its commitment to ending domestic violence with a new prevention and multigenerational mindset. To further our understanding of the root causes of domestic violence and identify prevention pathways, the Foundation commissioned Forward Change, a national strategy consulting firm based in California, to embark on a research and learning process that applies a life course analysis to domestic violence prevention.
A life course analysis is based on the premise that the timing and sequence of biological, psychological, cultural, and historical events and experiences influence the health and development of both individuals and populations. In other words, a life course analysis posits that health is a consequence of multiple determinants and contexts that change as a person develops. This life course analysis focuses on the risk factors leading up to the occurrence of domestic violence rather than the impacts and responses following a domestic violence incident.
The National Academies Roundtable on Population Health Improvement and the Forum on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders held a public workshop in December 2023 to explore various dimensions of community safety and violence prevention in the U.S. Among the issues addressed were domestic violence and understanding the issue from a life course perspective.
See the link below:
Community Safety as a Social Determinant of Health: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27741/community-safety-as-a-social-determinant-of-health-proceedings-of