Soul City

Evaluation of a Gender

Violence campaign

Dr Shereen Usdin, MD, MPH

Soul City

Evaluation of a Gender

Violence campaign

Dr Shereen Usdin, MD, MPH

Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication

Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication

• South African NGO

• Working also in 8 SADC countries

• Harnesses power of mass media for social change

• Uses “edu-tainment” methodology

• South African NGO

• Working also in 8 SADC countries

• Harnesses power of mass media for social change

• Uses “edu-tainment” methodology

Sociopolitical

community

individual

environment

Social Change

Impact at individual level Impact at individual level

– Increase awareness and knowledge

– Change attitudes + shift social norms

– Increase self-efficacy;

– Increase information-seeking and support-seeking behavior

– change intention + actual behavior

– Increase awareness and knowledge

– Change attitudes + shift social norms

– Increase self-efficacy;

– Increase information-seeking and support-seeking behavior

– change intention + actual behavior

Impact at community levelImpact at community level

– Linking to services

– Stimulating community action

– Changing social norms

– Promoting support-giving behavior,

– Stimulating interpersonal dialogue and debate

– Linking to services

– Stimulating community action

– Changing social norms

– Promoting support-giving behavior,

– Stimulating interpersonal dialogue and debate

Impact socio-political environment Impact socio-political environment

– Ensure the speedy and effective implementation of the domestic violence act (DVA)

– Ensure the speedy and effective implementation of the domestic violence act (DVA)

A multi pronged strategyA multi pronged strategy

• Prime time TV drama

• Prime time radio drama

• Booklets (national distribution)

• Prime time TV drama

• Prime time radio drama

• Booklets (national distribution)

• Partnership with the National Network on VAW

• Helpline

• Referral network

• Social mobilisation

• Partnership with the National Network on VAW

• Helpline

• Referral network

• Social mobilisation

Advocacy campaignAdvocacy campaign

To speed up the effective implementation of the DVA

• Lobby, social mobilization and media advocacy

To speed up the effective implementation of the DVA

• Lobby, social mobilization and media advocacy

The PromoThe Promo

Study DesignStudy Design

Individual

1. National Survey

Community

Society

2. Sentinel Site Studies

5. Media Monitoring and Analysis

4. NNVAW Partnership Study

6. Cost – Effectiveness Study

3. (National) Qualitative Impact Assessment

ReachReach

• Reached over 79% of target population

• More than 16,2 million youth + adults

– 79% of 16-24 year olds– 75% of urbanites– 68% of rural dwellers– 50% of those with no schooling

• Reached over 79% of target population

• More than 16,2 million youth + adults

– 79% of 16-24 year olds– 75% of urbanites– 68% of rural dwellers– 50% of those with no schooling

“Soul City influenced us to organize the march….emotions were high”

"There were pressures [to implement the DVA], from occasions where people held marches and stuff like that.”

“a lot of articles [on domestic violence and the DVA] started to appear … they create expectations in the community which makes the government deliver….”

The DVA was implemented one month after the campaign

The DVA was implemented one month after the campaign

4 361 articles in 280 print publications and electronic media dealt with VAW

43% covered Domestic Violence

1 in 5 items directly referred to Soul City or the NNVAW

Analysis of press coverageAnalysis of press coverage

“It made me to be able to determine where my life is going and what path I am choosing for myself,…it has taught me that I should not depend on a man, I should learn to stand on my own and think for myself….I have rights.”

[urban female]

Individual level – association with self-efficacy / empowerment

Since I have started watching Soul City I have realised that I am an abuser. I did not think about it before but they have made me to see myself as an abuser.

I have tried to change and it is not that easy, but at least because I have that picture of abuse in my mind, whenever I think of doing it, that comes to mind and I would stop.

Awareness/attitude change

National Survey

Multivariate Logistic Regression

Analysis of “VAW Attitude Scale”

Cronbach alpha = 0.55

Significant differences at p<.01** and p<.05*

****

**** ****

******

The Soul City 4 intervention is significantly associated with strong change in attitudes

towards VAW.

1

2.6 3

1.6

4.5

1.8

012345

OR

No SCexposure

High SCTV

High SCRadio

High SCPrint

High SCmulti-media

NNVAWexposure

VAW - likelihood of positive attitudes, associated with Soul City 4 intervention

Association with positive behaviourAssociation with positive behaviour

• “did something to stop DV”

– 9% with no exposure

– 12% ; 14 and 16% with

1;2;3 sources of SC exposure

• “did something to stop DV”

– 9% with no exposure

– 12% ; 14 and 16% with

1;2;3 sources of SC exposure

28

38

34

6

13

44

8

15

58

12

18

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

%

No SC TV Low SC TV Medium SC TV High SC TV

Awareness of VAW Support organisations Heard about the SWAH

Aware of VAW organisations(African respondents)

Heard of the NNVAW

National Survey

Binary Logistic Analysis

Connecting people to helpConnecting people to help

1

12

14

10

1

4

22

25

18

5

0

10

20

30

%

No SC TV Low SC TV Medium SCTV

High SC TV

Support-seeking behaviourwhile Soul City was on air

Made contact with VAWorganisation

Wrote down / kept SWAHhelpline number

Reported sexualharassment

20 000 calls answered (< 5% of calls made)20 000 calls answered (< 5% of calls made)

National Survey

Binary Logistic Regression Analysis

Community Level

17

36 3951

0

20

40

60

%

No SC 1 source of

SC

2 sources of

SC

3 sources of

SC

Talked about DV in the past 6-7 months?

"Yes"

Decreased negative social pressure

0

5

10

15

20

25

Baseline Evaluation

Per

cen

tag

e

Violence is a

private matter

Abused women

are expected to

put up with it

A man has the

right to beat his

wife

1

3 3

5

0

1

2

3

4

5

%

No SC 1 source ofSC

2 sources ofSC

3 sources ofSC

Participation in public protest against VAW

"Yes"

Cost effectiveness?Cost effectiveness?• Cost per person reached:

– TV $0.12– Radio $0.01– Print $0.07

• Cost per additional VAW knowledge gained

– $0.16

• Cost per positive attitude change – $0.22

• Cost per positive VAW action taken - $6.92

• Cost per person reached:

– TV $0.12– Radio $0.01– Print $0.07

• Cost per additional VAW knowledge gained

– $0.16

• Cost per positive attitude change – $0.22

• Cost per positive VAW action taken - $6.92

Lessons learnedLessons learned

• Partnerships are hard work, politicized, need nurturing

• Social change is complex process – Need multiple strategies in synergy

• One mass medium is good; more is better (dose response)

• Edutainment can be a powerful social change vehicle

• Partnerships are hard work, politicized, need nurturing

• Social change is complex process – Need multiple strategies in synergy

• One mass medium is good; more is better (dose response)

• Edutainment can be a powerful social change vehicle