A qualitative investigation of gender-based violence prevention and response using digital technologies in low resource settings and refugee populations

<b>Background:</b> 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. <b>Objective:</b> 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. <b>Method:</b> 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. <b>Results:</b> 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. <b>Conclusion:</b> 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. Digitalization occurs when products and services are converted to digital forms; violence prevention/response services working with women and children who are forcibly displaced and/or living in low-and-middle income countries were no exception to the rapid trend of digitalization during the COVID-19 crisis.Using key informant interviews with service providers working in violence prevention and response sectors in Brazil, Guatemala, Iraq, and in Italy regarding forcibly displaced women/girls, we investigated the rapid digitalization of gender-based violence prevention/response during the COVID-19 crisis.The effectiveness, safety, and equitability of digitalized violence prevention/response services depends on how well they are balanced vis-a-vis the gender digital divide and risk of digital GBV. Digitalization occurs when products and services are converted to digital forms; violence prevention/response services working with women and children who are forcibly displaced and/or living in low-and-middle income countries were no exception to the rapid trend of digitalization during the COVID-19 crisis. Using key informant interviews with service providers working in violence prevention and response sectors in Brazil, Guatemala, Iraq, and in Italy regarding forcibly displaced women/girls, we investigated the rapid digitalization of gender-based violence prevention/response during the COVID-19 crisis. The effectiveness, safety, and equitability of digitalized violence prevention/response services depends on how well they are balanced vis-a-vis the gender digital divide and risk of digital GBV.

背景：在COVID-19大流行期间，为基于性别暴力（gender-based violence, GBV）幸存者及其家属提供照护的医疗、法律、社会心理领域的政府与非政府组织，迅速推动了服务数字化转型。针对流离失所妇女儿童或生活在中低收入国家（low-and-middle income countries, LMIC）的基于性别暴力预防与应对服务，同样未能脱离此次快速数字化转型的浪潮。由于数字化转型已取代基于性别暴力预防与应对的核心业务流程，现有文献尚未对其最佳实践与经验教训开展系统性批判性梳理。
研究目的：本研究采用质性研究方法，探究了处于不同社会政治环境下的基于性别暴力服务提供者，在COVID-19疫情期间如何推进基于性别暴力预防与应对服务的数字化转型进程。
研究方法：本研究于2020至2021年间，通过线上方式对巴西、危地马拉、伊拉克及意大利（后者针对流离失所妇女与女童群体）多领域的基于性别暴力服务提供者开展半结构化关键知情人访谈（key informant interviews, KII）。研究对象通过立意抽样与滚雪球抽样的方式招募。访谈提纲涵盖多维度议题：受访者感知到的暴力与服务提供变化、线上服务实践经历、体系协调情况及所面临的挑战。本次访谈分别以葡萄牙语、西班牙语、阿拉伯语及意大利语开展，访谈内容均进行录音、转录并翻译为英文。研究团队采用兼具数据驱动与理论驱动编码的结构化编码簿，开展跨国家及国家内部的主题分析。
研究结果：核心主题包括：（1）COVID-19疫情期间实现数字化转型的服务范畴；（2）性别数字鸿沟成为阻碍服务数字化实现公平性、安全性与有效性的核心障碍；（3）数字暴力作为社会/公共服务数字化程度提升带来的非预期后果。
研究结论：数字化转型是一项平衡艺术，需兼顾（1）可实现的远程服务种类，以及（2）与性别数字鸿沟、数字暴力相关的可及性与安全性考量。数字化转型指将产品与服务转化为数字形态的过程；针对流离失所妇女儿童或生活在中低收入国家的基于性别暴力预防与应对服务，同样未能脱离COVID-19疫情期间快速数字化转型的浪潮。本研究通过对巴西、危地马拉、伊拉克及意大利（针对流离失所妇女与女童群体）暴力预防与应对领域服务提供者开展关键知情人访谈，探究了COVID-19疫情期间基于性别暴力预防与应对服务的快速数字化转型进程。数字化暴力预防与应对服务的有效性、安全性与公平性，取决于其在性别数字鸿沟与数字基于性别暴力风险之间的平衡程度。数字化转型指将产品与服务转化为数字形态的过程；针对流离失所妇女儿童或生活在中低收入国家的基于性别暴力预防与应对服务，同样未能脱离COVID-19疫情期间快速数字化转型的浪潮。本研究通过对巴西、危地马拉、伊拉克及意大利（针对流离失所妇女与女童群体）暴力预防与应对领域服务提供者开展关键知情人访谈，探究了COVID-19疫情期间基于性别暴力预防与应对服务的快速数字化转型进程。数字化暴力预防与应对服务的有效性、安全性与公平性，取决于其在性别数字鸿沟与数字基于性别暴力风险之间的平衡程度。