It is a problem of epidemic proportions in the United States.

However, efforts currently being funded and implemented to alleviate this problem either address the violence after the fact or attempt to prevent it using strategies that are not optimally beneficial because they intervene too late, do not reach enough people, and do not address risk factors empirically shown to lead to GBV.

This paper presents an alternative intervention strategy known as STRONG.

The strategy’s three essential tenets – (1) initiation in early childhood, (2) universal-level prevention, and (3) targeting of sexists attitudes, GBV-supporting beliefs, and rigid gender role socialization – are derived from a solid evidence base.

New Hope for Women offers school-based prevention and intervention programs that aim toward building healthy relationships and reducing the harmful impact of domestic and dating violence.

Persons with certain risk factors are more likely to become perpetrators or victims of intimate partner violence (IPV).

Those risk factors contribute to IPV but might not be direct causes.

For example, childhood physical or sexual victimization is a risk factor for future IPV perpetration and victimization.

A combination of individual, relational, community, and societal factors contribute to the risk of becoming an IPV perpetrator or victim.