How to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence: Evidence for a Digital Intervention with Men

This is the testimony of one of the participants of Guy Talk, a digital initiative supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that helped hundreds of men in Peru rethink how they relate to their partners and modify behaviors linked to violence.  

I thought that screaming was not violence. That arguing was normal. That if she didn't understand me, I had to make her listen.

Through guided conversations in WhatsApp, many discovered something essential: improving their relationship also involves rethinking their own attitudes, emotions, and ways of communicating.  

In Latin America and the Caribbean, one in four women between the ages of 15 and 49 has experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner. While countries in the region have made progress in providing services to support survivors, prevention remains an urgent challenge, and men play a primary role.

What’s the best way to work with men to prevent violence from happening? Although the question seems simple, the few effective programs aimed at men share three characteristics that make them very expensive: they are face-to-face, long-term, and in small groups. They also struggle to attract participants.  

Faced with this situation, the IDB aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a different kind of intervention that would succeed in attracting men voluntarily, and offer an accessible and effective alternative. 

This is how Guy Talk was born. The initiative helps men improve their relationships through an accessible medium: the mobile phone. The program was developed with Airbel Impact Lab, Innovations for Poverty Action, and the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations of Peru.  

For 30 days, participants received capsules via WhatsApp with videos, audio messages, and exercises to do with their partners that invited them to reflect on topics such as:  

• Communication
• Regulation of emotions
• Sexuality and consent
• Financial planning
• Co-responsibility at home

These were not formal classes, but rather short dialogues, designed to connect with real experiences that allow for conversation within a virtual community of 50 men, moderated by a facilitator. 

One of the most significant results of the program was to get men interested in a space where they could speak without fear of being judged.

Carlos, a 34-year-old participant, signed up out of curiosity.

I thought it was just another talk about couples, but it made me see things I did without thinking, like checking my girlfriend's cell phone or deciding for both of us. No one had told me that that was also violence.

Another man, José, shared his experience:

I've never had a place to talk about how I felt. With my friends we don't touch on those topics. Guy Talk made me think about how I want to be as a partner and as a man.

Testimonies like these show the potential of working with men to prevent intimate partner violence, which involves breaking silences, questioning stereotypes, and creating spaces that facilitate personal change. Modifying behavior takes time, but the first step is to open a conversation. 

Guy Talk offers an innovative solution that adapts to the needs and preferences of the participants. The invitation to the program is made through social networks, and the content arrives daily via cell phone. This makes it accessible and cost-effective.

The use of WhatsApp made it possible to reach 1,355 men in 555 districts of Peru.  For many, participating in face-to-face workshops often involves barriers such as a lack of time, distance, or fear of being judged. The virtual nature of the program allowed flexibility in schedule and place of connection, a degree of anonymity, and the potential to reach populations in areas where there are currently no face-to-face services.

The retention rate was high for an online program, with 67% of men staying until the end of the intervention. This suggests that technology can be a key tool for broadening the reach of prevention policies and promoting more egalitarian relationships.  

The program conducted an experimental impact assessment with 2,710 men and their partners, who were interviewed before the intervention and again six months later. The results were as follows:

• Participation in the program reduced the likelihood that female partners would report sexual violence at the end of the intervention by 20%.    
• The intervention led to a 3.9% decrease in the acceptance of violence as a way of resolving disagreements.

These findings show that digital interventions, when designed with simple, culturally tailored strategies, can help prevent intimate partner violence.