The Sexual Violence Research Podcast

Faith and religion are central to the lives of billions of people around the world. In many communities, faith leaders are among the most trusted voices, holding significant influence in shaping beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. This makes them powerful allies in the prevention of and response to gender based violence (GBV), yet working at the intersection of faith and GBV can be complex. 

In this episode of the Sexual Violence Research podcast we learn more about the SVRI’s Faith & GBV Community of Practice - a new network bringing together   researchers, practitioners, activists, and faith leaders. Host Elizabeth Dartnall is joined by Lisa le Roux, who is leading this work for the SVRI and shares how the initiative is creating space for reflection, connection, and change within faith communities across Africa.

🎧 Listen to learn:

➡︎ Why faith leaders are important partners in ending GBV.

➡︎ How religious beliefs can both challenge and support gender justice.

➡︎ What the Faith & GBV Community of Practice is and how it works.

➡︎ Why trust-building between development and faith actors is crucial for real impact.

Your host is: Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI).

Conflict zones are places of immense hardship - with people facing displacement, broken healthcare systems, and separation from families and communities. But when sexual violence is added to the equation, the challenges for survivors become even greater. Conflict-related sexual violence is not only deeply traumatising, it is also used as a tool of control, instilling fear, silencing communities, and shattering any remaining sense of safety. It is chilling in its intent and impact, stripping people of dignity and can leave scars that endure long after the fighting stops. Survivors deserve support that is immediate, sustained, and rooted in care, alongside concrete action to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further harm.

In this episode of the SVRI podcast we explore the critical and often overlooked issue of conflict-related sexual violence. We’re joined by Chen Reis, Clinical Associate Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, and Abraraw Tadesse, medical doctor and Regional Project Coordinator at Amref Health Africa, Ethiopia. Together they discuss what conflict-related sexual violence really means, how it differs from other forms of gender-based violence, and why centering survivors is essential to prevention and response. 

Your host is: Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, Sexual Violence Research Initative (SVRI).

🎧 Listen to learn:

➡︎ What conflict-related sexual violence (CRV) is and who’s most affected. 

➡︎ How the nature of CRV is evolving in modern conflict settings.

➡︎ What needs to be done to reduce intimate partner violence during times of conflict.

➡︎ Why survivor-centered approaches must be at the heart of GBV programming in humanitarian contexts.

Measuring the impact of violence prevention interventions is crucial to  understanding which efforts are truly making a difference in reducing sexual violence. But are the current methods able to capture the full scope of this complex issue? What if there were more reliable, comprehensive ways to assess the true effectiveness of our work.

In this episode, Sangeeta Chatterji, Director of Research at SVRI, shares insights on a proposed new approach to measuring success in violence prevention. We’re also joined by Kate Falb, Assistant Professor at the Center for Humanitarian Health in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who explains how integrating transdisciplinary approaches could lead to more holistic and effective violence prevention interventions. 

Your host is: Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, Sexual Violence Research Initative (SVRI). 

🎧 Listen to learn:

➡︎ Why outcome measures matter 

➡︎ How integrating transdisciplinary approaches could improve outcomes 

➡︎ How researchers balance the ethics of transdisciplinary research

➡︎ Why more integration between disciplines is needed 

The manosphere is a sprawling online network of forums, influencers, and content that brings together ideas about men, power, gender roles and identity, often promoting misogyny and even driving real-world violence.

The manosphere’s influence is growing and becoming a powerful force in shaping young men's world views. But what do we actually know about the manosphere, and what needs to be done to effectively challenge it?

In this episode of the Sexual Violence Research Podcast, Gary Barker, President and CEO of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, shares insights into the psychology and appeal of the manosphere, its links to gender-based violence, and the urgent need for better research and intervention strategies.

Your host is: Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, Sexual Violence Research Initative (SVRI).

🎧 Listen to learn:

➡︎ About the rise of the manosphere.

➡︎ Why young men are drawn to these communities

➡︎ How misogynistic narratives online can translate into real-world violence

➡︎ The gaps in research on the manosphere

➡︎ What parents, educators, and policymakers can do to push back

The SVRI Forum 2024 brought together a diverse group of researchers, activists, donors, practitioners, and survivors, united by a shared goal: to create a world free from violence against women and violence against children.

In this special episode, we hear from 10 of the incredible voices who attended the Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. These changemakers reflect on their favourite moments, key takeaways, and what they hope others will learn from their work in the fight against gender-based violence.

Our guests are:

The fight against gender-based violence is a 365 day commitment, but for 16 days each year, the global community unites to raise awareness, ignite conversations, and take action during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

In this special co-hosted episode with UN Women, we take a deep dive into the significance of this annual campaign and the critical work being done to address gender-based violence worldwide. We explore the lasting legacy of the Mirabal sisters, whose assassination in 1960 became the catalyst for this global movement, and we reflect on how the 16 Days campaign is more than just a period of awareness - it’s an invitation to reflect, act, and commit to lasting change.

Your guests are:

One in five girls and one in seven boys will experience some form of sexual violence before their 18th birthday. These statistics are shocking, and high-quality data is crucial for driving tangible change and reducing these numbers.

In this episode, we learn more about the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS), the largest source of data on violence against children worldwide. We’re joined by two women who have worked intensively on the VACS programme: Laura Chiang, Lead Epidemiologist at the Division of Violence Prevention at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Daniela Ligiero, CEO and President of Together for Girls.

Together, we explore how the nationally representative VACS surveys provide ground-breaking insights into childhood and young adult violence, we discuss how this vital information can inform effective interventions and highlight inspiring success stories from countries that have implemented VACS surveys.

Your guests are: 

Survivors hold the key to bringing about empowering and systemic change in the field of gender-based violence. Their stories and their voices must be at the forefront of decision making and policymaking.

By the age of 16 more than 90% of boys will have watched online pornography, some even as young as nine. Research is also showing us that exposure to increasingly graphic and violent pornography is influencing the sexual behaviours and attitudes of young people, becoming one of their main sources of sexual education.

In this episode we examine the different types of violent sexual behaviours young people are seeing online, and explore the disturbing connections between pornography consumption and rising rates of sexual violence against women and girls. We also discuss what educators, policymakers, and parents can do to address the damaging influence of this multi-billion dollar industry.

Our guests are:

With around 30% of women globally experiencing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), the need for effective and adaptable interventions is more urgent than ever. In response to this need, the SVRI has developed IPV Adaptation Guidance which highlights adaptation is not a one-size-fits-all process; it must be tailored to suit many different cultural, social, and economic contexts.

In this episode of the Sexual Violence Research Podcast, we explore the critical process of adapting IPV prevention programmes to different contexts, what’s needed to successfully adapt and scale proven IPV prevention programmes for new settings - and some of the challenges implementers can face when adapting programmes.

Our guests are:

Sexual violence can happen to anyone and by anyone, but research shows LGBTQI+ communities are targeted specifically because of their identities. While we have seen huge steps towards fairer treatment of LGBTQI+ people, a widespread anti-gender movement is making it more difficult for organisations to effectively prevent and respond to violence against the queer community. 

In this episode, we hear about the unique challenges LGBTQI+ people in Eswatini and Sri Lanka face, the policies and programmes working to address violence against LGBTQI+ people and the challenges stakeholders face when carrying out this work. We also hear messages of optimism about how far advocacy work in this space has come and hopes for a brighter, more inclusive future.  

Our guests are:

Online spaces were not created or designed with children in mind. Children are exposed to all kinds of content on the internet, and interact with strangers daily. As the internet is now ubiquitous in the lives of our children and new technologies emerge rapidly, what can we do to keep them safe from online child sexual violence?

In this episode our guests discuss:

• How technology facilitates violence against and exploitation of children, but also how we can use it to fight against these practices.
• The responsibilities of tech companies, the importance of coordinated efforts across sectors, and the necessity for evidence-based interventions.
• The uncomfortable reality that if we want to fully address the issue, we also need to understand what drives the demand, while supporting people at risk of perpetrating these crimes.

Our guests are:

Why do certain men use violence in certain situations? How do they rationalise their actions? And should researchers approach them with empathy? From masculine ideals, to patriarchal structures, to jealousy, there are many psychological, societal and cultural factors at play in these dynamics.

In this episode our guests walk us through their experiences in researching violent men, what is needed to create useful programmes to stop domestic violence, and what mechanisms they put in place to protect themselves and their teams. We discuss the ethics of talking to men who commit violence, while striking the right balance between humanising them, without accepting their actions. And we ponder whether there’s cause for optimism.

Why is it still so hard to talk about sexual exploitation and abuse within humanitarian agencies? What are we doing to safeguard against this kind of violence? While we are slowly building the tools and policies to combat the issues, there are still barriers and challenges the sector needs to address.

In this episode we discuss whether attitudes and behaviours towards reporting sexual exploitation in the aid sector have changed over the years, and learn that there might be reasons for optimism. Our guests share their experience in fighting for better strategies in preventing sexual exploitation and abuse. And we hear why we need more research into which safeguarding strategies are actually effective. 

Our guests are:

What works and what doesn’t in reducing violence driven by gender inequality? While many teams around the world search for the perfect intervention methods to address this pervasive issue, finding out whether those interventions actually work is extremely difficult.

In this episode we discuss the effectiveness and drawbacks of complex evaluation methods, like randomised controlled trials, and learn why they may not capture the nuance and complexity of violence interventions. The panel shares their experiences of RCTs and other unique methods of evaluating interventions. And we hear why greater collaboration and openness is needed, as intervention teams are encouraged to share their methods more widely. 

Our guests are:

To shift the balance of power and control, to end violence driven by gender inequality, we need deep systemic change. Creating just and inclusive systems for change requires more funding for research - and that funding needs to support the communities at the frontline of violence. 

“Change starts from within us.” With so many important goals to achieve, it can be difficult to remember the importance of prioritising health and happiness. But what if we approached work and life with more kindness, focussing on our wellbeing and the welfare of everyone around us?

In this episode we explore the concept of ‘collective care’ - the practice of taking responsibility for the wellbeing of each other, as individuals and as a community. We examine the very real dangers faced by women and children around the world, specifically in the sphere of activism, and how collective care can support and heal those vulnerable to attacks. We also discuss the importance of integrating collective care into our organisations, what this can look like, and what the future holds.

Our guests are:

From trolling to stalking to the sharing of intimate images, technology has facilitated a wide range of threats against women. But what implications does online violence have in the real-world? And how do we measure the impacts and gather data for research?

In this episode we explore how the internet has impacted the safety and wellbeing of women, affecting them both psychologically and physically. We hear real-world examples of women who’ve seen these impacts firsthand, including one woman who disengaged from the internet for 13 years as a result of her experiences. And we discuss the work that needs to be done to create safe spaces for women online.

Our guest is:

Measuring the impact of violence prevention interventions is an incredibly important part of the process, as it allows us to understand what works and what doesn’t. But can the way we assess outcomes be improved?

In this episode we learn about the “any” versus “no” metric we often use in our field to measure outcomes - and the limitations of this binary approach. We discover new, more nuanced measurements that can be used to paint a more complete picture about the effectiveness of interventions. And we learn just how dramatically our understanding of impact can change by simply altering the way we interpret the data.

Our guest is:

The United Nations estimates 80% of people displaced by climate change are women, putting them at greater risk of violence, including sexual violence. 

In this episode, we discuss the often overlooked role of climate change in exacerbating violence against women, why women are so disproportionately affected by climate related natural disasters and how women in some regions of the world are more impacted than others. 

We’ll also consider some of the challenges of researching the effects of climate change on women and how governments and humanitarian organisations should be adapting their climate responses to include the impacts of violence against women. 

Our guests are:

How do we ensure research in the area of violence against women and violence against children is ethical and ethically funded? 

In this episode, we hear some of the unique challenges and risks when it comes to research in this field and discuss how researchers should go about planning and conducting ethical programmes. We also consider how to ensure ethical funding for research and discuss some of the challenges of conducting remote research ethically. 

Our guests are:

Who has the power when it comes to research in the area of violence against women and violence against girls? And what can we do to ensure that power is distributed in the right places? 

In this episode, we try to understand the role power dynamics play in the area of sexual violence research and what can be done to ensure funding is distributed fairly. Plus we explore why putting women’s voices at the centre of research is one of the best ways we can take back power and control in a research setting. 

Our guests are:

How do we ensure research in the area of violence against women and violence against girls leads to meaningful change?

Research for impact is often neglected due to a number of factors, including lack of time and funding. In this episode, we explore why research uptake should be made a priority and how to go about putting together an effective impact strategy. Plus we meet researchers whose projects are a positive example of how research impact can be achieved.

Our guests are:

Faith and spiritual leaders are often deeply trusted and hugely influential people in the heart of their communities. In this episode, we consider the role religious leaders can play in ending violence against women and violence against children.

We discuss how religious beliefs may contribute to violence, how the patriarchal nature of religious institutions can both condone and drive violence against women, as well as the healing role faith can play in the lives of survivors. We also discuss what needs to be done going forward to decolonise knowledge in this field.

Our guests are:

As the world’s use of technology grows, so too does it’s role in facilitating sexual violence against children. Throughout this episode we consider the real-world impacts of technology facilitated violence against children, the research that is happening in this area and what tech platforms and governments can do to counter this threat.

We also consider the links between online and offline experiences of violence and the specific impact on child survivors.

Our guests are:

Engaging men and boys in violence prevention programmes  can produce real world benefits. This strategy - to be successful - has to be implemented in an ethical and accountable way and centred on women and girls experiences and needs. It cannot be implemented just for the sake of involving men and as a silver bullet to end violence.

In this episode, we hear about some of the projects that have contributed to building evidence in this area, and consider what we can learn from them. We also discuss some of the challenges facing researchers in this field.

Our guests are:

There are many methods of gathering research, data and evidence in the work we do to end violence against women and violence against girls. One of those approaches is practice-based knowledge which considers the cumulative learning acquired by practitioners over many years, specifically through hands-on action.

In this episode, we learn more about what practise-based knowledge is, why it’s so important in the efforts to improve our prevention programming and how it helps tell a more inclusive story about addressing Violence Against Women. We also discuss the limitations of practice-based knowledge and consider some of the reasons it's not being prioritised.

Our guests are:

Alone we cannot end violence against women and violence against children. Connecting with other researchers, funders, policymakers and survivors is an essential part of the work we do and we are passionate about bringing together multiple and diverse voices to embrace evidence and inform practice.

In this episode, we learn about the power of connecting ahead of the SVRI Forum which is taking place in Cancun in Mexico this September. We find out about the real world impacts of knowledge sharing. And in our increasingly digital world, we consider some of the future challenges and opportunities in this area.

Our guests are:

Ethics must be considered ahead of any research which addresses violence against women. Safety is of paramount importance when working with vulnerable women, many of whom may have experienced violence or indeed may still be experiencing violence. All researchers in this space have an absolute duty of care to these women.

In this episode we learn about some of the critical components of designing an ethical research programme. We find out about the unique risks and challenges faced in this field of research, and how to address them. And we discover how research is evolving and adapting to the growing use of remote studies, and online technology.

Our guests are:

Decolonising knowledge production in the field of violence against women is about empowerment. Instead of allowing Western ideals to dominate knowledge production, we must refocus our attention on the lived experiences of those who are most affected by violence, and whose expertise is often ignored, as we search for solutions.

In this episode we learn about the connection between practise based knowledge and decolonisation, and how the two concepts can improve violence prevention programmes and outcomes. We find out how legal experts can play a part in ensuring the full inclusion of those with first-hand experience and knowledge. And we discuss how the funding of research and interventions needs to also be overhauled and decolonised.

Our guests are:

Researching violence against children is an incredibly important, yet ethically challenging task. How do we balance the importance of involving children in research with safeguarding their health and well-being?

Our guests have made ethics a priority in their research, considering and addressing any potential harm that may be caused - and they share their learnings.

In this episode we find out why a child’s perspective is so important when developing effective services and prevention programmes. We grapple with the issue of gaining informed consent from children. And we touch on the issue of vicarious trauma, which can affect researchers when hearing the experiences of children.

Our guests are:

It is often the passion and activism of women’s movements that powers and transforms evidence to influence policy change. So how can we support activists and their movements and help create impact?

Bringing activists together with researchers and other experts is key as effective research and action on violence against women and violence against girls requires a holistic approach to knowledge sharing.

In this episode we hear some transformative success stories of activism in action, like the “One in Nine” Campaign in South Africa. We learn about some of the most impactful  forms of advocacy and activism. And we find out how ‘small but mighty’ activist projects can be just as impactful as more wide scale global movements.

Our guests are:

Research is only useful if it leads to meaningful change. So, when assessing what works to end violence against women and violence against girls, how can we ensure research sparks action?

This is called research uptake, or research for impact, and is a process that’s too often neglected. Despite its undeniable importance, it's often poorly funded, difficult to measure and there’s little guidance on how to achieve it.

In this episode we find out how to address these issues, and discover why it needs to be made a top priority in all research projects. We find out what makes an effective research for impact programme, hearing lessons learnt from the What Works To Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls’ programme. And we meet a researcher whose project serves as a shining example of how it can be done positively.

Our guests are:

Throughout this podcast we’ve heard about many incredible programmes that have been taking place globally to prevent violence against women and violence against girls. But which of these interventions have proven most effective - what is the evidence telling us?

This was a major question at the heart of the What Works To Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls’ programme, and in this episode we explore its findings. We also discover why feminism needs to be the core value at the centre of all interventions, we hear the amazing success story of a study in Nicaragua called Candies In Hell, and we learn about the impact of conflict and war on violence against women and violence against girls.

Our guests are: