Barriers and facilitators to engaging communities in gender-based violence prevention following a natural disaster

Elizabeth Sloand, Cheryl Killion, Faye A. Gary, Betty Dennis, Nancy Glass, Mona Hassan, Doris W. Campbell, Gloria B. Callwood

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Humanitarian workers in disaster settings report a dramatic increase in genderbased violence (GBV). This was true after the 2010 Haiti earthquake when women and girls lost the relative security of their homes and families. Researchers from the United States Virgin Islands and the United States mainland responded by collaborating with Haitian colleagues to develop GBV-focused strategies. To start, the research team performed a situational analysis to insure that the project was culturally, ethically, and logistically appropriate. The aim of this paper is to describe how the situational analysis framework helped the researchers effectively approach this community. Using post-earthquake Haiti as an exemplar, we identify key steps, barriers, and facilitators to undertaking a situational analysis. Barriers included logistics, infrastructure, language and community factors. Facilitators included established experts, organizations and agencies. Researchers in such circumstances need to be respectful of community members as experts and patient with local environmental and cultural conditions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1377-1390
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of health care for the poor and underserved
Volume26
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2015

Keywords

  • Focus groups
  • Gender-based violence
  • Haiti
  • Natural disasters
  • Nursing research
  • Research challenges
  • Situational analysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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