Development of a website for dating violence prevention, abandonment of intimate abusive relationships and support to peers

Abstract

Violent dating may generate post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and substance abuse. For this reason, early intervention and preventive measures are necessary. This article aims to describe the needs assessment and the construction of materials for the development of a website for dating violence prevention among Brazilian youth. In order to perform needs assessment, qualitative studies have been conducted with samples of adolescents and youth to identify intentions of coping with dating violence, the characteristics of abusive relationships, confl ict management skills used in healthy relationships, facilitating strategies of abandonment of violent relationships and the process of receiving and giving support to friends in situations of abusive dating. Based on the results of the needs assessment and the Transtheoretical Model of Change, a website was built with fi ve modules: recognition of dating violence, risk factors for victimization by an intimate partner, social skills for confl ict management in dating, abandonment of violent relationships and support to peers. Studies to evaluate the eff ects of exposure to the website on att itudinal and behavioural changes relating to self-protection in violent relationships and support to peers are suggested.