Mentors in violence prevention: An evaluation of the potential impact of a bystander based approach to tackling gendered violence

Abstract

This paper intends to interrogate the issue of male violence against women with a focus on preventative measures through the use of an empowered bystander approach. It will specifically consider the Mentors in Violence Prevention programme, a school based intervention which originated over a decade ago in Sioux City, Iowa and has recently been introduced in Scotland by the Violence Reduction Unit at Strathclyde Police. In order to consider the usefulness and sustainability of the programme in the Scottish context, an evaluation of the theoretical basis on which the project is built, with an emphasis on the theory of change adopted, was undertaken. In addition, there is a consideration of the extent to which the chosen approach is consistent with the current Government policy on tackling gendered violence. Relevant literature on the issue as well as qualitative interviews with a number of individuals involved with the project were utilised in order to allow for a detailed and in-depth analysis of the project.
The research undertaken offered an interesting insight into the project, and revealed a clear theory of change which was highly reflective of the literature surrounding both the multiple and interwoven causes of gendered violence and the usefulness of a bystander approach to tackling the problem. It was also apparent from both interview data and other literature that the project was consistent with current Government policy on the issue as well as with the recently implemented Scottish Curriculum for Excellence and that, depending on the method of implementation, the MVP programme has the potential to be a useful tool in tackling violence against women.