Review: Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls: Educational work with children and young people

In recent years commitment to violence against women and girls (VAWG) prevention has been seen in numerous UK national policy agendas, yet arguably no policy has given a clear mandate. Countless women's, community and youth organisations in the UK are delivering VAWG prevention work in educational settings and have been doing so for many years, yet until now we did not have a text that pulled together research, experiences and insights about this work.

This book is a vital tool in understanding these complexities, pulling together research from North America, the UK and Australia, identifying promising practice and building on past learning.

Beyond theoretical policy, it offers in-depth reflections on delivery and development of effective VAWG prevention. It discusses a range of experiences, conceptual theory and reflections. Some contradict and some are unresolvable. All are essential understandings to develop and deliver effective prevention work in schools.

The benefits of a whole-school approach are discussed. It is argued that longer programmes, which engage the whole school community, are the most effective way of ensuring prevention work is meaningful and sustainable. If we draw on the ecological framework for understanding VAWG we must address the complex interplay of cultural, social, economic and political factors, which create the inequality that becomes both the cause and consequence of gender-based violence. The authors unpack this concept, concluding that the school environment should be treated as a microcosm of society. This work must challenge gendered power relations within the school structure. It is argued that if we address VAWG as an issue for individuals we miss the opportunity for critical engagement about the attitudes and structures that create gender inequality and foster VAWG.

Alongside arguments for maximising opportunities for young people to understand the gendered nature of VAWG come discussions of how to ensure prevention work is "gender strategic".

This book gives us a base of research and experiences to consider for developing and delivering VAWG prevention. It offers a language, framework and theory for critical analysis to ensure best practice. Discussion on evaluation shows that preand post-attitudinal evaluations show positive impact, however, it concludes that further development of effective evaluations are needed to fully prove the scope of this work.

This book is essential reading for education professionals, practitioners, policy makers and anyone involved in the development, delivery or commissioning of VAWG prevention. Beyond this, VAWG and gender inequality needs to be challenged universally.

Reviewed by Laura Butterworth, senior project manager, Safer London Foundation

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