@article{ref1,
title="A qualitative investigation of gender-based violence prevention and response using digital technologies in low resource settings and refugee populations",
journal="European journal of psychotraumatology",
year="2024",
author="Vahedi, Luissa and Stark, Lindsay and Ding, Rachel and Masboungi, Caroline and Erskine, Dorcas and Poulton, Catherine and Seff, Ilana",
volume="15",
number="1",
pages="e2347106-e2347106",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Governmental and non-governmental organizations across medical, legal, and psychosocial sectors providing care to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and their families rapidly digitalized services during the COVID-19 pandemic. GBV prevention/response services working with women and children who are forcibly displaced and/or living in low-and-middle income countries (LMIC) were no exception to the rapid digitalization trend. Literature is lacking a critical synthesis of best practices and lessons learned since digitalization replaced major operations involved in GBV prevention/response.<br><br>OBJECTIVE: This research qualitatively investigated how GBV service providers, located in a range of socio-political settings, navigated the process of digitalizing GBV prevention/response during the COVID-19 crisis.<br><br>METHOD: Semi-structured key informant interviews (KII) with GBV service providers in varied sectors were implemented virtually (2020-2021) in Brazil, Guatemala, Iraq, and Italy (regarding forcibly displaced women/girls for the latter). Participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Interview guides covered a range of topics: perceived changes in violence and service provision, experiences with virtual services, system coordination, and challenges. The KIIs were conducted in Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, and Italian. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. The research team conducted thematic analysis within and between countries using a structured codebook of data driven and theory driven codes.<br><br>RESULTS: Major themes concerned the: (1) spectrum of services that were digitalized during the COVID-19 crisis; (2) gender digital divide as a barrier to equitable, safe, and effective service digitalization; (3) digital violence as an unintended consequence of increased digitalization across social/public services.<br><br>CONCLUSION: Digitalization is a balancing act with respect to (1) the variety of remotely-delivered services that are possible and (2) the access/safety considerations related to the gender digital divide and digital violence.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2000-8198",
doi="10.1080/20008066.2024.2347106",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2024.2347106"
}