How Research Evidence is Defined, Acquired, and Shared Across Systems That Address Intimate Partner Violence.

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Public Health
• Criminal Justice

Background:

• Intimate partner violence (IPV) poses significant public health and safety challenges.
• Effective interventions rely on the timely and accurate dissemination of research evidence.
• Understanding evidence flow within relevant systems is crucial for improving practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how research evidence flows within systems addressing intimate partner violence (IPV).
• To understand how professionals in victim services, law enforcement, and criminal justice define, acquire, and share research evidence.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to research evidence dissemination in the IPV field.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study design.
• Semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders across victim services, law enforcement, and criminal justice.
• Thematic analysis of interview data to identify patterns in evidence definition, acquisition, and sharing.

Main Results:

• Research evidence is defined more broadly by practitioners than academics.
• Trusted intermediaries, particularly state IPV coalitions and victim service providers, are primary sources of evidence.
• Evidence is predominantly accessed through professional networks rather than formal channels.
• A need exists for enhanced supports to facilitate research information sharing.

Conclusions:

• Current systems for disseminating research evidence on intimate partner violence (IPV) are largely informal and network-based.
• Strengthening professional networks and providing accessible resources can improve evidence uptake.
• Targeted support for key intermediaries is essential for bridging the gap between research and practice in IPV prevention and intervention.