Examining the implications of gender-based violence and identifying critical junctures for intervention from an ecological systems approach

Gender-based violence is a public health crisis with over 30% of women experiencing violence during their lifetime (Black et al., 2011). The impacts of gender-based violence are costly for the survivors who experience it, the communities that they live and work in, the organizations that provide supportive services, and the institutions who respond (Corrigan, Wolfe, Mysiw, Jackson, & Bogner, 2001). This dissertation examines gender-based violence at the individual level and community levels, as well as institutional response. The findings suggest that at multiple levels there are critical junctures where even a small intervention can have a large impact. Thus, a systems approach to addressing gender-based violence is needed to improve outcomes for survivors and responses from the spaces they navigate.