NCT05295342

The No Means No South Africa Evaluation Study

A Longitudinal Mixed Method Evaluation of the No Means No Intervention for Violence Prevention in Gqeberha, South Africa

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 2,173 (actual)
• Sponsor: RTI International · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 10 Years – 19 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This school-based study will evaluate a behavioral intervention-the No Means No (NMN) intervention-to reduce violence among enrolled girls, ages 10-19, through a cluster-randomized control trial and a nested qualitative study.

Detailed description

This protocol describes a mixed method evaluation study of a behavioral intervention-the No Means No (NMN) intervention-to reduce violence among enrolled girls, ages 10-19. The No Means No intervention is an 8-12-hour behavioral intervention designed to teach Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) to girls. A parallel intervention with boys focuses on violence perpetration by addressing issues of consent and bystander intervention. The intervention also includes a network of referrals. The intervention will be evaluated through a cluster-randomized, controlled trial and a nested qualitative study. Implementation sites such as schools and afterschool programs (hereafter collectively referred to as schools) will be randomized to receive the girls' intervention only, the girls' and boys' interventions in parallel, or the control condition (standard of care). Control arm schools will receive the intervention as is following the study period if proven safe and effective. The study will enroll a subset of intervention participants (ages 10-19 years inclusive) at each intervention school, and an equal number of girls and boys at each control school. Experience and perpetration of sexual violence (SV), other forms of intimate partner violence (IPV), and community violence (CV) will be compared across the study arms over time, as well as engagement with referral services. At any timepoint when violence is disclosed, participants will receive first-line support and referrals for care. Participants will be followed longitudinally for 12 months. Population: Approximately 2250 girls and 1000 boys, aged 10 to 19 years of age (inclusive) who are enrolled in 15 schools. Boys will be enrolled from the schools randomized to receive the boys' intervention and the control schools only. Study Site(s): NMNW Implementation Site, Gqeberha, South Africa Approach: This project will evaluate the impact of the No Means No intervention on SV prevention when paired with GBV referral services through a cluster randomized controlled study among girls and boys, with a nested qualitative component. Study Duration: Accrual will require approximately 6 weeks. Participants in all study arms will participate in scheduled visits for enrollment (baseline), and 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up. A subset of participants will be recruited for qualitative interviews (serial in depth interviews) to be conducted at or around 3 and 12 months post-intervention. Primary Objectives: 1. To test the effectiveness of the No Means No intervention in reducing girls' reported experiences of sexual violence (SV); 2. To identify the mechanisms of action of No Means No on girls' reported experience of SV; Secondary Objective: 1. To determine the effectiveness of the No Means No intervention in reducing girls' reported experiences of other forms of violence (i.e. IPV, and CV); 2. To compare the effect of simultaneous implementation of a boys violence perpetration prevention program, versus the girls' program alone or no intervention, on girls' reported experiences of SV; 3. To examine change in boys' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to violence perpetration as a result of participation in a prevention program.

Conditions

• Gender-based Violence
• Sexual Violence

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	No Means No intervention Girls' Curriculum	The No Means No (NMN) Girls' Curriculum is a violence prevention program designed for adolescent girls and young women 10-20 years old. This curriculum has been designed specifically for safer implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. NMN Girls' programming is deeply rooted in Empowerment Self-Defense, which is a uniquely holistic, survivor-centered, feminist approach to self-protection skills. Youth educators called "Instructors" deliver the curriculum to young people in schools. This 8-hour intervention is comprised of classes that teach young people mental, verbal and physical self-defense skills that can be used to prevent sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence.
BEHAVIORAL	No Means No intervention Boys' Curriculum	The No Means No (NMN) Boys' Curriculum is a violence prevention curriculum that has been designed specifically for implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Designed for adolescent boys and young men age 10-20. Like the girls program it is delivered by youth educators called "Instructors" in schools. This 8-hour intervention is comprised of classes that teach young people gender equitable attitudes, skills to defend equality and how to avoid violence as a power paradigm.
BEHAVIORAL	Active comparator: Life Orientation	The standard school-based Life Orientation curriculum

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-02-16
• Primary completion: 2023-10-24
• Completion: 2023-10-24
• First posted: 2022-03-25
• Last updated: 2024-04-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: South Africa