Locally Led, Prevention Focused: Preventing Gender-Based Violence in Rural and Small Towns
Tracks
Room 2: In-Person Only
| Tuesday, November 25, 2025 |
| 2:45 PM - 3:15 PM |
Overview
Professor Lana Wells, University Of Calgary
Speaker
Professor Lana Wells
Associate Professor, Brenda Strafford Chair In The Prevention Of Domestic Violence
University Of Calgary
Locally Led, Prevention Focused: Preventing Gender-Based Violence in Rural and Small Towns
Presentation Overview
In rural and small-town areas across Canada, women, Indigenous Peoples, and equity-deserving groups experience domestic and sexual violence rates higher than their urban counterparts, often with greater severity and limited access to support services, highlighting the urgent need for place-based, primary prevention strategies that address the unique risks and social dynamics of rural and small town life (Nonomura & Baker, 2021).
In response, three rural women’s shelters in Alberta—YWCA Banff, Big Hill Haven (Cochrane), and Rowan House Society (High River)—partnered with Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence at the University of Calgary to co-develop a placed based rural primary prevention strategy. The initiative is grounded in the understanding that gender-based violence (GBV) stems not only from individual actions but also from entrenched structural inequities, harmful gender norms, and community-level conditions that enable male perpetration.
Using local, police, and open-source data, the team developed community profiles to better understand patterns of perpetration and assess local risk and protective factors. These findings were shared through “data walks”—interactive sessions that engaged residents, governments, and businesses in meaningful dialogue. These conversations surfaced community-driven priorities and informed the development of tailored primary prevention strategies in each location. A parallel process with Indigenous leaders and Nations is also underway, reflecting the importance of culturally specific approaches and respecting Indigenous sovereignty in the design and implementation of prevention efforts.
This presentation will explore how rural communities are stepping into leadership roles to shift from reactive responses to proactive, prevention-community focused strategies. It will highlight the theory of change and prevention model, along with key lessons in cross-sector collaboration, offering a scalable approach to gender-based violence prevention that is rooted in data, relationships, and the strength of community-led action.
In response, three rural women’s shelters in Alberta—YWCA Banff, Big Hill Haven (Cochrane), and Rowan House Society (High River)—partnered with Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence at the University of Calgary to co-develop a placed based rural primary prevention strategy. The initiative is grounded in the understanding that gender-based violence (GBV) stems not only from individual actions but also from entrenched structural inequities, harmful gender norms, and community-level conditions that enable male perpetration.
Using local, police, and open-source data, the team developed community profiles to better understand patterns of perpetration and assess local risk and protective factors. These findings were shared through “data walks”—interactive sessions that engaged residents, governments, and businesses in meaningful dialogue. These conversations surfaced community-driven priorities and informed the development of tailored primary prevention strategies in each location. A parallel process with Indigenous leaders and Nations is also underway, reflecting the importance of culturally specific approaches and respecting Indigenous sovereignty in the design and implementation of prevention efforts.
This presentation will explore how rural communities are stepping into leadership roles to shift from reactive responses to proactive, prevention-community focused strategies. It will highlight the theory of change and prevention model, along with key lessons in cross-sector collaboration, offering a scalable approach to gender-based violence prevention that is rooted in data, relationships, and the strength of community-led action.
Biography
Lana Wells is a globally recognized scholar and changemaker in social work, public policy, and violence prevention. She focuses on advancing gender equity, social justice, and systems-level change by engaging men and mobilizing cross-sector collaboration. Lana holds the Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic Violence and is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. She leads Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence, a research hub advancing primary prevention through innovative, evidence-informed strategies developed in partnership with government, community leaders, organizations, and the business sector to stop violence before it starts.
(www.preventdomesticviolence.ca).
