What is primary prevention in violence prevention strategies?

• A. Aimed at breaking the abuse cycle through community educational initiatives.
• B. Screening high-risk individuals and addressing victims and abusers early to prevent the progression of abuse.
• C. Helping those experiencing severe abuse recover and rehabilitating abusers to stop the cycle of violence.
• D. Providing medical treatment to victims after injuries.

Answer: (A)

Primary prevention focuses on preventing violence before it starts by changing risk factors and strengthening protective factors across the whole community. The approach described—using community educational initiatives to break the abuse cycle—fits this by aiming to stop violence from occurring in the first place, through awareness, skill-building, and norm change.

The other options describe interventions that occur after violence has begun or progressed: screening at-risk individuals and early intervention to prevent escalation is secondary prevention; helping victims recover and rehabilitating offenders after harm has occurred is tertiary prevention; providing medical treatment to injured victims is also tertiary, addressing consequences rather than preventing them.