Community interventions for primary and secondary prevention of violence against women and girls: a cluster randomized controlled trial in urban India (360G-Wellcome-206417_Z_17_Z)

In a cluster randomised controlled trial in Mumbai slums, we will test the effects of community mobilisation through groups and individual volunteers on the prevalence of violence against women and girls. One in three women in India have survived physical or sexual violence, making it a major public health burden. Reviews recommend community mobilization to address violence, but trial evidence is limited. Already implemented in other areas, our intervention has been developed over 16 years of programmatic experience and two years of formative research. Guided by a theory of change, we will compare 24 areas receiving support services, community group, and volunteer activities with 24 areas receiving support services only. These community mobilisation activities will be evaluated through a follow-up survey after three years. Primary outcomes will be prevalence of intimate partner violence, and prevalence of domestic violence, in the preceding year. Secondary outcomes will describe disclosure of violence to support services, community attitudes to violence, bystander intervention, gender equality, and prevalence of non-partner sexual violence. Backed by public engagement, advocacy, and open publication, our vision is of a replicable community-led intervention to address the public health burden of violence against women and girls.