Welsh Government Position Statement – Efficacy of Perpetrator Interventions

Efficacy is a complex term. Although it is regularly used, it can mean different things to interested individuals. Efficacy is often used synonymously with terms such as adequacy, competence, fit to purpose, effectiveness, or potency, and yet, subtle differences are manifest. There are currently no agreed national indicators for efficacy in relation to perpetrator interventions in Wales. This presents a particular problem for those who are trying to provide, commission, or evaluate services for tackling the perpetration of Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse, and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV), who are asked to take efficacy into account and to report on the efficacy of interventions. This, in turn, will impact on those who need the support of services in order to prevent VAWDASV and to protect and support current and future victims VAWDASV and prevent associated crimes and harms.

Funded by the Welsh Government.

This research presents a definition of efficacy reached through a consensus approach and informed by the wider literature.