Table 2 Characteristics of the interventions included

Arora et al., 2019 [53]

Counseling intervention in antenatal care settings

The intervention included several components, such as screening, information support, safety plan, skills-building, emotional support, supportive counseling, and access to community resources and social support. The information support involved providing the survivors with information about their rights and legal options. The skills-building involved teaching the survivors coping and problem-solving. The emotional support involved providing with empathy, validation, and encouragement.

Minimum 2 individual sessions, with additional sessions based on need (30–45 min each)- facilitated by trained counsellors

Individual

Public Hospitals/Gynecology Department/Antenatal Care Setting

Fleming et al., 2018; Raj et al., 2016 [54, 55]

CHARM//Gender Equity and Family Planning Intervention

The intervention included training, counseling, and services on family planning and gender equity. It also involved goal setting and action planning that assessed the level of marital violence and sexual communication among the couples and provided strategies to reinforce non-use of violence and promote respectful communication and interactions. The intervention also addressed gender equity-related issues, such as son preference, and encouraged healthy and shared family planning decision making.

[Total 4 sessions] 3 individual (married men) (Sessions 2–3 optional) & one couples’ group session -facilitated by male village healthcare providers) completed within 3 months

Multilevel

Clinical setting, or if required, near or in the participant’s home

Javalkar et al., 2019 [56]

Samvedana Plus

Focus of groups with sex-workers (12 sessions): Reducing relationship risks; IPV education; Taking action against IPV; Changing norms; Safety planning & Skills building; Individual counseling with sex workers (as needed); Group sessions with partners (8 sessions for 3 days): IPV education, changing norms etc

Couple sessions for those continuing to face relationship challenges. Community: village plays, monthly meetings to discuss cases of IPV

Group sessions/ trainings with sex workers facilitated by trained outreach workers; 8 participatory reflection modules implemented over 12 sessions.

Multilevel

Community

Jones et al., 2013 [57]

Reducing Sexual Risk Behavior among High-Risk Couples

Group intervention Cognitive-behavioral skills training; Role plays used participants’ experiences in problem-solving & cognitive restructuring- positive communication skills, conflict resolution & sexual negotiation—sessions covered gender-relevant issues (e.g., influence of in-laws, relationships); stress reduction/relaxation techniques (meditation/deep breathing): group sessions included practice, feedback, reinforcement; homework assignments

Gender-specific groups of 10 men or 10 women led by a gender-congruent counselors & peer facilitators-gender [3 weekly intervention sessions with each group (2 h/session] over 1 month

Interpersonal

Infectious Disease & Family planning Clinics

Kalokhe et al., 2021 [58]

GBE (Ghya Bharari Ekatra)/ Couples intervention for primary prevention of IPV

GBE plus a list of IPV & mental health support services to the female dyadic member: Focus of Sessions Communication/ conflict management, DV (subjective norms of IPV; discussion of the different forms & effects of IPV; exercise in which each participant ranked examples of violence by severity-factors individuals use to define acts of violence, highlighting individual-level differences in conceptualization of violence, & to challenge participants to expand their definitions of IPV and commit to a life of nonviolence. Format: Participatory intervention (Reflections, discussions, role plays, games, films, competition)

[6 session/ 6-week Group Intervention] Weekly 2-h group sessions over a 6-week period (6 sessions) with 3–5 newly married couples; 5 sessions facilitated by a male–female pair of trained peer educators with 6th session co-led by medical officers & delivered in gender-concordant groups [Two IPV/ DV relevant sessions]

Interpersonal

Community-based venue (e.g., school, community hall, Anganwadi, CBO)

Krishnan et al., 2016 [59]

Namagaagi Naave/Workplace intervention on attitudes & practices related to gender equity

The intervention aimed to address the intersections between gender norms, IPV, alcohol use, and reproductive and sexual health. It included a 1-week static standee exhibition near the dining area and cartoon storyline posters in the toilets that explained the campaign issue. The intervention also distributed informational flyers to each employee as they left for home on the second and third day, so that they could share the contents with their family members. On the fifth or sixth day, the intervention organized a 1-day mass awareness program in collaboration with referral service providers, using interactive street plays, experience-sharing sessions, interaction with experts, health camps, etc. It also created and strengthened referral linkages including training for NN Core team members as Margadarshis or Guides.

Week long

Community

Community/Factory

More et al., 2017 [60]

SNEHA (Society for Nutrition, Education & Health Action)

Center integrated counseling services to support survivors of physical, emotional, sexual, or economic violence by intimate or non-intimate partners. Women reporting violence are offered participation in an extensive support & response program that included crisis intervention with counselling, psychotherapy, and family intervention, and support with police complaints and legal redress

Home visits, Group meetings, community events facilitated by Community Organizers over 2 years organized around a SNEHA center

Multilevel

Community

Nair, Donta, Shahina, 2020 [61]

Intervention to reduce partner violence & enhance contraceptive use among women

[Total 4 sessions] 2 individual sessions with women followed by 1 couple session at home & an individual session with women. Family planning, marital communication, anger management, reducing risk related to violence, creating safe environment, and improving negotiation skills. The first two sessions were individual sessions (provided to women only), followed by a couple session (both husband and wife) followed by an individual session (provided to women only).

The sessions last for 2 months and has a gap of at least 2 weeks between each session. The sessions are about 30–45 min and are delivered by trained social workers to the women at their homes. The women are given action steps before each session.

Multilevel

Urban Slum communities

Nair, Daruwalla et al., 2020 [62]

Community mobilisation through Participatory Learning & Action (PLA)/ prevention violence against women and girls (SNEHA & Ekjut partnered intervention)

The two organization Ekjut & SNEHA partnered to implement a community-based intervention which included mapping of local services for the survivors, including women’s cell for counselling & First information Reports (FIR); Conducting sensitization workshops with law enforcement officers to help them understand their role in supporting the survivors; training ASHA’s to facilitate PLA. The PLA has four phases: Phase1 involved 6 group meeting where ASHAs used picture cards to educate on DV, workplace harassment, discrimination, witch hunting and role the of patriarchy; Phase 2 involved 3 group meetings where the groups analyzed causes of forms of violence and the consequences of DV through storytelling and games: Phase 3 involved % meetings focusing specific forms of violence prevalent in Jharkhand such as witch hunting and the available resources; Phase 4 involved 1 meeting about the achievements and continuation of the plan.

The intervention consists of 20–30 women in each group facilitated by ASHAs, who are accredited social health activists. These sessions are provided over a period of 16 months. The training provided by ASHAs is focused on domestic violence by a) fostering a sense of unity among survivors through Mahila mandals (women’s groups), Village Health Nutrition & Sanitation Committee meetings, & Gram Panchayat (village council) meetings; (b) helping in instances of violence by being alert to signs, providing shelter and emotional support & connecting women with health & legal services

Community

Village community

Raj et al., 2013; Saggurti et al., 2014 [63, 64]

RHANI Wives Intervention

The intervention included six sessions that covered topics such as relationship dynamics, sexual communication, Domestic Violence x, poverty, financial stress, and substance use. It used group discussions, counseling, and activities to educate and build skills among the women. The first two sessions (1&2) were individual sessions where they discussed financial stresses, health, alcohol use, and IPV. The third session (3) was a group session where they received education on HIV and marital communication. The fourth session (4) was another individual session where they talked about alcohol use, IPV, sexual violence, HIV, women’s health, empowerment, and safety. The fifth session (5) was another group session where they received group support and education on linkage to local services for HIV/STI, IPV, and alcohol. The sixth session (6) was the final individual session where they discussed alcohol use, sexual violence, HIV, and use of local support after the program.

4 household-based individual sessions & 2 small group-based community sessions delivered over 6–9 weeks facilitated by female counselors; Discussion based through stories, games; Problem-solving

Multilevel

Household & the community

Raj et al., 2022 [65]

CHARM-2

CHARM2 is a counseling intervention which expanded on the original CHARM intervention. They built in 5 gender-specific counseling sessions (at the individual level, two sessions for female participants provided by female health providers and two for male provided by male health providers followed by one couples' session at the interpersonal level). CHARM2 offered a wide range of contraceptive options like IUDs and OCPs through gender-matched healthcare providers in these sessions. Their approach was based on a proven person-centered care model that positions women alongside providers and male partners empowering them in family planning decisions

Individual Level sessions for females focused on reproductive coercion, women's choice, fertility goals and discreet contraceptive use as necessary while the males' individual sessions focused on male engagement and respectful communication with wives; Interpersonal Level sessions focused on contraceptive communication and joint decision making, etc. for couples.

Total 5 sessions - 4 individual sessions (2 for women and 2 for men facilitated by gender matched healthcare providers) & one couples session completed within 6 months

Multilevel

Confidential setting; Community Center, Clinical Setting