Using Media Campaigns with Young People to Prevent Interpersonal Violence

Objectives: Media campaigns are increasingly advocated as a strategy for preventing interpersonal violence and abuse (IPVA), this study aimed to identify elements of effective campaigns This UK study,undertaken as part of a... [ view full abstract ]

Objectives: Media campaigns are increasingly advocated as a strategy for preventing interpersonal violence and abuse (IPVA), this study aimed to identify elements of effective campaigns This UK study,

undertaken as part of a wider review on IPVA prevention (the PEACH study), used consultation with

experts and young people to capture current thinking and practice on the use of media campaigns

to address IPVA among young people. Three focus groups and 16 interviews were undertaken with

experts from the IPVA sector and three focus groups were held with young people.

Although campaigns should target whole populations of young people, it was argued that subsequently

messages should be ’granulated’ for sub-groups including young people already exposed to

IPVA and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender young people. It was suggested that boys, as the

most likely perpetrators of IPVA, should be the primary target for campaigns. Both young people

and experts emphasised that drama and narrative could be used to evoke an emotional response which

could assist learning. Authenticity was important for young people and could be achieved by delivering

messages through familiar characters and relevant stories. Involving young people themselves in

creating and delivering campaigns strengthened authenticity. Practice is developing rapidly and robust

research is required to identify the key conditions for effective campaigns in this field. The emotional

impact of campaigns in this field appears to be as important as the transmission of learning.