title: Barriers and Facilitators to Engaging Communities in Gender-Based Violence Prevention following a Natural Disaster.
abstract: Humanitarian workers in disaster settings report a dramatic increase in gender-based 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.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sloand
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Killion
authors.forename: Faye A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Gary
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Doris W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Gloria B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Callwood
mesh_terms: D018585:Battered Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration; D003256:Community Participation; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006205:Haiti; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D012066:Relief Work / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D014767:United States Virgin Islands; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data