The majority of the victim-survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) are women and people of diverse sexualities. However, the discourse on GBV is still dominated by the male gaze. Communication materials on GBV are shaped around the image of a powerless woman experiencing grave physical or sexual violence from an unseen male partner. The victim-survivors are thus twice violated. First, by their abusers, and second by representations that reduce them into mere objects of violence or by being omitted altogether. The persisting culture of silence, shame, and stigma surrounding GBV is evidence that this image and its attendant narrative have limited power in promoting help-seeking behavior among victim-survivors and gender justice in the larger society. 
In order to transform public discourse on GBV and promote the empowerment of victim-survivors, Feminist Media Lab integrated a custom-designed method called the Likha-Laya (Create Freedom): Feminist Check In for Survivor-Centered GBV Content Creation, an application of feminist critical discourse analysis, in the content production process of the FamiLigtas (SafeFamiles) online campaign against GBV. The resulting audience engagement of the campaign demonstrates that Likha-Laya (Create Freedom) can promote desired behavioral outcomes including disclosures, affirmations, and help-seeking messages among GBV victim-survivors through critical and empowering messages while expanding the discourse on GBV as issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights and social justice. 

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is buried in the social change discourse even though data has repeatedly shown that it limits collective global progress. It affects 700-750 million women and girls worldwide today, takes an unimaginably enormous number of lives every year, and costs the global GDP US$1.7 trillion annually. Despite that, VAWG prevention is severely underfunded and overlooked in global development and political agenda, like other issues that disproportionately affect women and girls.
Why this paradox? In our experience, it is because key decision-makers and leaders believe that it is a niche and intractable, household-level problem. However, the evidence today does not support these beliefs.
This study is a first-of-its-kind attempt at putting forth a new narrative on how preventing VAWG can have a large transformative effect on individuals, nations, and nearly all SDGs. The study estimates the multitudes and magnitudes of the impacts of the Spotlight Initiative – the largest global effort investing EUR 500 Mn on the issue today. This work could be a case study in SBCC as it takes a differentiated approach – i.e., an 'opportunity' framing – to develop a funding and impacts narrative before global decision-making institutions such as the multilateral funders.
Ultimately, the goal is to propagate the 'opportunity' and insights worldwide to drive multiply greater funding and attention to the issue of violence against women and girls.

Using data from the domestic violence module of the Indian National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) and a novel composite measure assessing patriarchy, we examine the district-level spatial patterning of patriarchal norms in India and their association to women's experience of intimate partner violence (IPV). Geospatial mapping is used to examine district-level clustering of patriarchal norms across India. Logistic multilevel regression models are used to assess the association between patriarchal norms at the district-level and IPV among married females (ages 15-49) at the individual-level. Given that the gendered aspects of patriarchal norms are related but distinct from norms of violence, we also add a 'attitudes of IPV' variable (women's attitudes on the acceptability of wife beating) to multilevel models to assess the extent to which this variable mediates the association between patriarchal norms and IPV. Results from logistic multilevel models indicate that, holding demographic covariates constant, for every 1-point increase in patriarchal norms at the district-level, there is a 2% increase in associated odds of experiencing IPV. Finally, when 'attitudes of IPV' are entered into the multilevel models, we find they attenuate but do not fully explain the association between patriarchal norms and IPV. Our findings provide empirical evidence indicating that the etiology of IPV goes beyond violence-related norms to include those related to inequitable gender relations. Addressing patriarchal norms within the broader community is an important aspect of SBC programming aiming to improve health and interpersonal outcomes among Indian women.

The "National Study of Social and Institutional Tolerance of Violence Against Women, Girls, and Adolescents (VAWGA) in Honduras," which is part of the Spotlight Initiative's Prevention strategy, is the first Latin American study to measure levels of perception prevalence of VAWGA and associates them with the levels of entrenchment of gender norms. By implementing an intersectional approach, the disaggregated data allowed us to understand how VAWGA intersects with other discriminations.


The study is a pioneer in quantifying the entrenchment of sexist social norms and, through an econometric model, establishes those that are most likely to influence harmful behaviors and VAWG.


Additionally, the study represents the first Central American case to measure the self-perception of the levels of institutional tolerance to VAWG, among the sectors of the state that are responsible for preventing VAWG and activating care routes for survivors.


The results of the national survey made it possible to: a) develop a national VAWG prevalence perception index, b) determine the levels of prevalence of the different forms of VAWG, c) establish the most deeply rooted social norms, d) define the most prevalent norms, and e) provide evidence to prioritize the most influential gender norms.


The data analysis was used to design a theory of change that will guide social and behavior change communications campaigns, as well as other interventions to eradicate VAWG in Honduras.