Addressing domestic violence in Uganda
The mission
The IRC has a faith-based couples counseling program in Uganda, called Becoming One, that aims to prevent domestic violence by building relationship skills.
As the program was implemented, data revealed how many couples were already experiencing domestic violence. IRC wanted help to not only prevent future violence — but to address the violence that was already happening.
The approach
We took a survivor-centered approach and listened closely to violence survivors. Based on what they shared, we made the bold move to include perpetrators and enablers of violence.
We engaged with people through interviews, role plays, and focus groups, and designed and tested ideas over multiple rounds to see what worked and why.
The insights
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The known
Survivors need a way to stay safe when their partners are violent.
The unknown we uncovered
Many survivors already have personal strategies to stay safe. What survivors really desire is for their partners to change and for their relationship to improve.
“Someone would be blessed to have this [safety] content, but men also have to be addressed. You should have content for men. Men should be taught how to treat women, love women, learn household chores and not leave everything to a woman.”
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The known
Violence responders from the faith community often advise survivors to change their behaviour (e.g., be submissive, don’t talk back), rather than confront perpetrators. This perpetuates violence and negative gender norms.
The unknown we uncovered
Violence responders want to address perpetrators, but doing so is challenging, sensitive, and potentially dangerous.
“The man would think I’m judging him. It could increase his anger so that he beats his wife or even myself.”
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The known
Perpetrators use violence.
The unknown we uncovered
Perpetrators recognize that violence is wrong and often feel ashamed. However, violence is often justified 1) when they feel disrespected by their partner and 2) when they don’t have an alternative response to the anger they feel when they’re disrespected.
“Violence is bad. Usually beating is from a woman’s repeated mistakes, even when a man says, ‘I don’t like that,’ and she continues.”
“After I beat, I get angry at myself for acting out of anger and not letting the woman explain.”
The action
New content was added to the existing couples counseling program based on the insights and solutions we tested. The content helps couples understand that their own actions, not their partner’s actions, are the true source of respect, and helps couples learn alternative strategies to regulate anger.
As of 2025, violence responders in faith communities across Uganda, Kenya, and the Solomon Islands are using this additional content to help couples stay violence-free and to address couples when violence happens.
