Gender-based violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic: recommendations for future.

BACKGROUND: Gender-based violence (GBV) includes any physical, sexual, psychological, economic harms, and any suffering of women in the form of limiting their freedom in personal or social life. As a global crisis, COVID-19 has exposed women to more violence, which requires serious actions. This work aims to review the most critical dimensions of the GBV against women, effective factors on it, and strategies for combating it during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to provide recommendations for future pandemics. METHODS: This study was conducted based on PRISMA-ScR. First, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Google Scholar were searched in April 2021 with no time limitation and location using the related keywords to COVID-19 and GBV. The searched keywords were COVID-19, gender-based violence, domestic violence, sexual violence, women, violence, abuse, and their synonyms in MESH and EMTREE. Duplicates were removed, titles and abstracts were screened, and then the characteristics and main results of included studies were recorded in the data collection form in terms of thematic content analysis. RESULTS: A total of 6255 records were identified, of which 3433 were duplicates. Based on inclusion criteria 2822 titles and abstracts were screened. Finally, 14 studies were eligible for inclusion in this study. Most of these studies were conducted in the United States, the Netherlands, and Iran, mostly with interventional and qualitative methods. CONCLUSIONS: Strengthening ICT infrastructure, providing comprehensive government policies and planning, government economic support, social support by national and international organizations should be considered by countries worldwide. It is suggested that countries provide sufficient ICT infrastructure, comprehensive policies and planning, economic support, social support by collaboration between national and international organizations, and healthcare supporting to manage incidence of GBV against women in future pandemics.

Government responses to COVID-19 and impact on GBV services and programmes: comparative analysis of the situation in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria.

As governments impose restrictive policies to contain infectious disease outbreaks, pre-existing gender-based inequalities are often exacerbated, increasing the risk of gender-based violence (GBV). Despite international guidance on the need for continued provision of GBV services during emergencies, governments often de-prioritise GBV services and programmes. We conducted a rapid assessment in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria to examine the impact of COVID-19 policies on the availability of GBV prevention and response services. The study team interviewed 80 stakeholders representing different GBV services in the four countries. The interviews revealed strikingly similar government mis-steps that disrupted the availability of comprehensive GBV services. In all four countries, the government's failure to exempt the provision of multi-sectoral GBV services from initial lockdown restrictions led to confusion and disrupted the provision of critical GBV services such as clinical management of rape, legal and judicial services, psychosocial services, availability of shelters, and community-based prevention activities. The government's imposition of curfews, stay-at-home orders, and transportation restrictions further diminished access to services. Governments must strengthen currently available GBV prevention and response services and be better prepared for future pandemics. Following international guidelines, governments should deem GBV services as essential from the beginning with clear implementation plans. Governments must invest in community-based solutions and the expansion of digital tools to ensure everyone, especially those likely to be structurally excluded, have access to critical services during an emergency.

Income loss and gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic among female entertainment workers in Cambodia: a cross-sectional phone survey.

BACKGROUND: In Cambodia, female entertainment workers (FEWs) are disproportionately affected by global and local disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the government imposed tight restrictions, including closures of entertainment venues, such as karaoke bars, beer gardens, nightclubs, or massage parlors, leading FEWs to face economic and social disruptions. This study aims to assess the relationship between income loss during the pandemic and gender-based violence (GBV) among FEWs in Cambodia to inform future disaster response programs. METHODS: We conducted a phone survey in August 2021 with 369 randomly sampled FEWs from a national organization's email list. We used a structured questionnaire to ask the participants about job and income loss, food security, mental health, access to health services, and GBV. We fit a linear regression model to examine the differences in GBV experience between FEWs who lost all their income and those who lost partial income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key covariables comprised the number of dependents, smartphone ownership, internet access, food security, and mental health. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The mean age (31.6 vs. 30.6), years of formal education (6.3 vs. 6.3), marital status (24.2 vs. 23.8 never married), and the number of children (1.3 vs. 1.1) of women reporting having lost all income were not significantly different from those who experienced partial income loss. Overall, GBV experiences were significantly higher in FEWs who lost all income than in those who lost partial income (62.9% vs. 47.4%, p = 0.03). Controlling for the number of dependents, smartphone ownership, and food security, the adjusted odds ratio for GBV was significant in the adjusted model (AOR = 1.23 (1.08-1.40), p = 0.001) indicating that those who experienced total income loss were more likely to experience GBV than those who experienced partial income loss. In addition, they were significantly less likely to be food secure (p = 0.04), less likely to own a smartphone (p = 0.02), and had more dependents (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Disaster response programs should consider the implications of safety measures and government support for both formal and informal workers regarding safety, food access, and mental health support. Food assistance programs should target the most vulnerable informal sector workers during crises.

Association between public health emergencies and sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and early marriage among adolescent girls: a rapid review.

BACKGROUND: As COVID-19 continues to impact lives and livelihoods around the world, women and girls are disproportionately affected. Crisis situations and related response measures, such as lockdowns, school closures, and travel restrictions, often exacerbate the adversities and human rights violations faced by adolescent girls. We conducted a rapid review to synthesise evidence on the impact of public health emergencies (PHEs) related to gender-based inequalities among adolescent girls. METHODS: We systematically searched five major databases. Records were imported into the online screening tool Rayyan, and 10% of the records were triple screened for eligibility. We included qualitative, mixed-methods, and quantitative studies that assessed the relationship between PHEs and any of the following outcomes: (1) gender-based violence, (2) early/forced marriage, and (3) sexual and reproductive health. Due to the heterogeneity of included study designs, no meta-analysis was performed, and studies were summarised narratively. FINDINGS: Out the initial 6004 articles, 11 studies met our eligibility criteria. Five of these assessed the impact of natural disasters and six were focused on consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven studies focused on the impact of PHEs on gender-based violence, three focused on sexual and reproductive health, and only one study looked at early marriage. The main impacts highlighted by the studies included (1) increases in physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, (2) increase in the occurrence of teenage pregnancy, (3) poor menstruation hygiene management, and (4) occurrence of early marriages. Mechanisms underlying these impacts were PHE-specific response strategies like home confinement, closure of schools, the worsening of families' financial situation such as the inability to pay for school fees or day-to-day living costs, and the disempowerment of and increased workloads for adolescent girls. CONCLUSION: Although evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, and especially forced or early marriage of adolescent girls is limited, results from studies on other PHEs indicate that during crises, these detrimental outcomes are exacerbated. Findings from our review have important implications for policies and programs providing life skills training, financial literacy training, credit support, and safe spaces for adolescent girls.

Vulnerability to violence against women or girls during COVID-19 in Uganda.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, gender-based violence (GBV) was reported to have increased worldwide. We build on existing literature to examine the factors that increased vulnerability to GBV during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda. We use data from the Rapid Gender Assessment (RGA) survey that was conducted during COVID-19, which was designed to provide information to guide policymaking and offer appropriate interventions that address the needs of people in Uganda during the pandemic. The results show that the following respondents are more likely to experience increased risk and vulnerability to gender-based violence: those with primary level of education (OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.10-2.01), those who received information about GBV (OR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.08-1.57), and those who needed help or medical support as a prevention measure against GBV (OR = 1.29; 95% CI = 1.04-1.61). However, respondents who would need financial support to prevent GBV were less likely to experience increased GBV (OR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.70-0.98). Our results align with evidence from other studies that risk and vulnerability to GBV in Uganda increased since the onset of COVID-19. The findings provide an understanding of the interrelationship between GBV and COVID-19,which can help with designing GBV preventive measures, particularly during pandemics among those most at-risk.

"At the Root of COVID Grew a More Complicated Situation": A Qualitative Analysis of the Guatemalan Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response System during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A growing body of literature has documented an increased risk of gender-based violence (GBV) within the context of COVID-19 and service providers' reduced capacity to address this vulnerability. Less examined are the system-level impacts of the pandemic on the GBV sector in low- and middle-income countries. Drawing on the perspectives of 18 service providers working across various GBV-related sectors in Guatemala, we explored how the Guatemalan GBV prevention and response system operated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings highlight that the pandemic reinforced survivors' existing adversities (inadequate transportation access, food insecurity, digital divides), which subsequently reduced access to reporting, justice, and support. Consequently, the GBV prevention and response system had to absorb the responsibility of securing survivors' essential social determinants of health, further limiting already inflexible budgets. The pandemic also imposed new challenges, such as service gridlocks, that negatively affected survivors' system navigation and impaired service providers' abilities to efficiently receive reports and mobilize harm reduction and prevention programming. The findings underscore the systemic challenges faced by GBV service providers and the need to incorporate gender mainstreaming across public service sectors-namely, transportation and information/communication-to improve lifesaving GBV service delivery for Guatemalan survivors, particularly survivors in rural/remote regions.

Prevalence and Contributing Factors of Gender-based Violence in SAARC Territories from 2010 to 2020: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gender-based violence is a key global concern due to the high prevalence and increased socio-economic burden for survivors. However, estimation of the prevalence of gender-based violence is difficult due to differences in study design and underreporting of abuse, especially in developing nations. Therefore, we conducted this study to estimate the prevalence of Gender-based violence among women living in the SAARC region. METHODS: The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020219577). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed throughout the review. A thorough database search was conducted to identify studies done in the SAARC region. Title and abstract screening were done in Covidence, followed by a full-text review. Data were extracted and pooled for analysis using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subgroup analysis was done where possible. RESULTS: A total of 76 studies were included in the systematic review and metaanalysis. The community prevalence of domestic violence (DV) was 43.8% (95% CI, 35.1% - 52.9%), GBV prevalence was 34.9% (95% CI, 30.2% - 39.9%) and IPV prevalence was 39.8% (95% CI, 30.7% - 49.6%). GBV prevalence was highest in illiterate women [54.2% (95% CI, 46.8% - 61.5%)] and lowest among women with higher than secondary level education [23.1% (95% CI, 16.2% - 32.0%)]. The prevalence of GBV among women in pregnancy or postpartum period was 32.3% (95% CI, 25.1% - 40.4%, I2: 98.64), while among female sexual workers, the prevalence of Gender-based violence was 42.1% (95% CI, 28.1% - 57.5%, I2: 99.25). CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of Gender-based violence in the SAARC region. Higher socioeconomic status and educational status are protective factors for Gender-based violence. However, more studies using validated tools are needed to understand the true extent of the problem.

Gender-based violence during COVID-19 lockdown: case study of a community in Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) has been identified to be one of the ripple effects of the global pandemic. In countries like Nigeria, the situation is hypothesized to be worse because of widespread poverty and gender inequalities. Objective: To examine the exposure of females to GBV during the first 3 months of the COVID-19 lockdown. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a low-income community in Lagos. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 130 respondents selected via systematic random sampling. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 26.89 ± 8.67 years. Majority worked informal jobs, while only 50% had attained beyond primary education. Within the period, the respondents had been subjected to sexual (54.6%), physical (52.3%), verbal assault (41.5%), and online sexual harassment (45.4%); of which only 30% reported to the police. Furthermore, respondents subjected to sexual (p=0.004) and physical assault (p=0.032) during the period earned significantly less money than other respondents. Conclusion: The fact that over 1 out of every 2 females was subjected to at least one form of GBV within the short timeframe shows how unsafe girls and women in low-income communities are. This calls for proactive community-level interventions to curb the GBV menace.

[Evolution of gender-based violence during the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic in Greater Abidjan (March 2020-May 2021)]. / Évolution des violences basées sur le genre lors de l'émergence de la pandémie de COVID-19 dans le Grand Abidjan (Mars 2020-Mai 2021).

In Côte d'Ivoire, a country of 28 million inhabitants in West Africa, a survey conducted by the Ministry of the Family in 2018 showed the extent of gender-based violence (GBV) in the Greater Abidjan area (5 million inhabitants), the country's economic capital. The social workers employed for this work were mobilized during the Covid-19 pandemic to raise awareness and help the population fight against SARS-CoV-2. The results collected by these workers during the first period (January 2019 - February 2020) and the second period (March 2020 - April 2021) are the subject of this article.From the first period to the second, the number of rapes increased from 41 to 77, sexual assaults from 4 to 7, physical assaults from 139 to 171, and forced marriages from 4 to 7. In total, the social workers helped 303 victims during the pre-pandemic period and 402 during the pandemic. This evolution varies from municipality to municipality in the Greater Abidjan area, and is not related to the number of inhabitants per municipality and without any link with the frequency of Covid-19 in each municipality. Despite possible biases, this study highlights a major health problem, GBV, and demonstrates the probable negative effects of the pandemic.

"The pandemic made us stop and think about who we are and what we want:" Using intersectionality to understand migrant and refugee women's experiences of gender-based violence during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Migrant and refugee women have faced a myriad of challenges during COVID-19, which are often exacerbated by the interaction between this population's diverse identities and established systems in the local context. This qualitative study uses the lens of intersectionality to understand migrant and refugee women's experiences of gender-based violence and access to and quality of support services in Italy during the first year of COVID-19. METHODS: Data were gathered from 51 key informant interviews and eight focus group discussions of 31 participants. Key informants included service providers across sectors, including gender-based violence and anti-violence organizations, government and law, health, psychology, social work, and anti-trafficking administration. Focus group participants were migrant and refugee women aged 18-65 from the following countries of origin: Bangladesh, Cameroon, Colombia, El Salvador, Gambia, Ghana, Honduras, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Senegal, and Syria. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and coded using a collaborative process with partners from UNICEF. Transcripts were then evaluated for arising themes using three methods of intersectionality analysis. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed how COVID-19 converged with sexism, racism, and xenophobia in Italy, leading to increased public and domestic violence against refugee and migrant women. Another prominent theme was the exacerbated vulnerability for refugee and migrant women in precarious socioeconomic situations, which prompted many service providers to recognize and address gaps in service offerings and coordination around basic needs. However, due to resource constraints and bias, providers did not systematically incorporate inclusive language and cultural mediation into remote and online services, creating a heightened barrier to access for non-Italian women despite their complex needs. As such, refugee and migrant women highlighted community-based solidarity and support as protective factors during lockdown periods. CONCLUSION: Findings emphasize how overlapping dominant sociocultural and socioeconomic systems impacted refugee and migrant women's experiences of violence during COVID-19 in Italy, and how some support services were unprepared to respond to the complex needs of diverse, newcomer populations. We discuss how policymakers and practitioners might consider intersectionality in their preparedness and response planning for gender-based violence services during health emergencies moving forward.

A community edutainment intervention for gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, and maternal and child health in rural Senegal: a process evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Edutainment aims to spread educational messages in an entertaining way, and often reaches large audiences. While studies increasingly report the impacts of edutainment interventions, there is limited context-specific evidence on the underlying processes and barriers to effective delivery, especially in rural areas. This article presents results from a process evaluation of a community-based edutainment intervention designed to improve knowledge, attitudes, and practices on gender-based violence (GBV), sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and maternal and child health. The intervention focused on the television series, C'est la Vie!, screened through biweekly film clubs in rural Senegal and included post-screening discussions and thematic workshops, meant to reinforce messages, increase knowledge, and change social norms. The objectives of this study were to assess intervention adaptation, implementation fidelity, participants' responsiveness or engagement, and series appropriateness. METHODS: The intervention was implemented from December 2019 to March 2020 in 120 villages in Kaolack and Kolda regions of Senegal, and targeted adolescent girls and young women aged 14 to 34. The process evaluation was carried out in March 2020 in 14 villages using: i) individual semi-structured interviews with implementers (n = 3), village chiefs (n = 8), married women (n = 9), adolescent girls (n = 8), and men (n = 8); ii) focus groups with men (n = 7, 29 participants) and women (n = 10, 100 participants); and iii) observations of screening sessions (n = 4) and post-screening discussions (n = 2). Data were analyzed using thematic and content analysis. RESULTS: The results highlight that adaptation of the intervention helped reach the target population and improved participant attendance, but might have compromised fidelity to original design, as intervention components were shortened and modified for rural delivery and some facilitators made ad hoc modifications. The screenings coverage and frequency were adequate; however, their duration was shortened due to COVID-19 restrictions in Senegal. Participant responsiveness was excellent, as was the series appropriateness for most topics, including GBV. SRH remains a sensitive topic for youth, especially when the film clubs included non-peers, such as slightly older women. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that using film clubs to deliver sensitive edutainment content in rural areas is feasible and has potential for scale-up.

Prevalence and patterns of gender-based violence in Enugu, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: gender-based violence remains one of the most persistent human rights abuse in the world and with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant mitigating protocols; Gender-based violence (GBV) could be on the rise with changes in its pattern and presentation. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and patterns of GBV among victims presenting in a tertiary health facility in South-East Nigeria during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: this was a retrospective cross-sectional study, among 710 victims of GBV, who reported and received care at the GBV unit in a tertiary hospital in Enugu, South-east Nigeria. A pro forma designed by the researchers was used to collect secondary data from GBV facility screening forms and folders of all patients that reported any form of GBV over a 3-year period (2018 - 2020). Results: majority (89.9%) of victims of GBV were females and over a half (51.4%) of the cases were in the age group 20-39 years. In total, 56.8% of the GBV cases had been sexually abused. The pattern of GBV over the three years period under study revealed an increase in proportion for both sexual and physical/emotional violence, with a peak in 2019 and a reduction of cases in 2020. Persons below 19 years of age were 23 times more likely to experience sexual violence, than those between 40-59 years of age (AOR: 23.332; 95% CI: 11.037 -49.325) p<0.001. Males were 11 times more likely to experience physical/emotional violence than females (AOR: 11.136; 95% CI: 4.685-26.471) p<0.001. Age, gender, urban dwelling and year of occurrence were significant predictors of GBV. Conclusion: GBV is a cause for concern in Enugu Nigeria; affecting mainly young female victims in their prime. There is an increase in reported cases of GBV in Enugu Nigeria with sexual abuse being more prevalent.

Health professionals' perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and SGBV services in Rohingya refugee communities in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has acutely affected Rohingya refugees living in camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Reported increases in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) were attributed in part to pandemic-related public health measures. In addition, the Government of Bangladesh's restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have impacted the provision of comprehensive care for survivors of sexual violence. This study sought to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected SGBV and the provision of services for Rohingya survivors in Bangladesh. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with 13 professionals who provided or managed health care or related services for Rohingya refugees after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. RESULTS: At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations observed an increase in the incidences of SGBV. However, health care workers noted that the overall number of survivors formally reporting or accessing services decreased. The pandemic produced multiple challenges that affected health workers' ability to provide essential care and services to Rohingya survivors, including access to the camps, initial designation of SGBV-related services as non-essential, communications and telehealth, difficulty maintaining confidentiality, and donor pressure. Some emerging best practices were also reported, including engaging Rohingya volunteers to continue services and adapting programming modalities and content to the COVID-19 context. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive SGBV services being deemed non-essential by the Government of Bangladesh was a key barrier to providing services to Rohingya survivors. Government restrictions adversely affected the ability of service providers to ensure that comprehensive SGBV care and services were available and accessible. The Government of Bangladesh has not been alone in struggling to balance the needs of displaced populations with the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its response can provide lessons to others overseeing the provision of services during epidemics and pandemics in other humanitarian settings. The designation of comprehensive services for survivors of SGBV as essential is vital and should be done early in establishing disease prevention and mitigation strategies.

COVID-19 and gender-based violence service provision in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: Gender-based violence (GBV) policies and services in the United States (U.S.) have historically been underfunded and siloed from other health services. Soon after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports emerged noting increases in GBV and disruption of health services but few studies have empirically investigated these impacts. This study examines how the existing GBV funding and policy landscape, COVID-19, and resulting state policies in the first six months of the pandemic affect GBV health service provision in the U.S. METHODS: This is a mixed method study consisting of 1) an analysis of state-by-state emergency response policies review; 2) a quantitative analysis of a survey of U.S.-based GBV service providers (N = 77); and 3) a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with U.S.-based GBV service providers (N = 11). Respondents spanned a range of organization types, populations served, and states. RESULTS: Twenty-one states enacted protections for GBV survivors and five states included explicit exemptions from non-essential business closures for GBV service providers. Through the surveys and interviews, GBV service providers note three major themes on COVID-19's impact on GBV services: reductions in GBV service provision and quality and increased workload, shifts in service utilization, and funding impacts. Findings also indicate GBV inequities were exacerbated for historically underserved groups. DISCUSSION: The noted disruptions on GBV services from the COVID-19 pandemic overlaid long-term policy and funding limitations that left service providers unprepared for the challenges posed by the pandemic. Future policies, in emergency and non-emergency contexts, should recognize GBV as essential care and ensure comprehensive services for clients, particularly members of historically underserved groups.

Addressing Gender-Based Violence Using Evidence-Based Practices During COVID-19: The Case of Puerto Rico.

As gender-based violence (GBV) surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65) called for member states, civil, and other stakeholders to consider the specific needs of women and girls in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Psychology provides scientific knowledge to help answer this call. Despite existing global guidance and psychological research to mitigate GBV, COVID-19 presents new challenges for consideration. This article summarizes existing GBV guidance/research and COVID-19 considerations, uses an illustrative case study to describe Puerto Rico's application of GBV guidance/research during COVID-19, and provides preliminary policy and practice recommendations.

Approaches to gender-based violence and legal abortion in health services during COVID-19 lockdown.

This study is interested in analyzing how health services address gender-based violence and legal abortion in a context of mandatory preventive social isolation. Between May and June 2020, 27 telephone interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals and key informants from Córdoba and Resistencia. Changes in detection, methods, and demand were identified, related to the reorganization of the healthcare system, modifications in the care relationship, and the resources needed to respond to demand. The pandemic has deepened barriers to women's access to health services and has added new ones. Networks among healthcare professionals, feminist healthcare practices, and innovative approaches were identified as facilitators of access, which have been central in mitigating the effects of the pandemic and guaranteeing rights.

Este estudio buscó indagar cómo los servicios de salud abordan las violencias de género y la interrupción legal del embarazo en contexto de aislamiento social preventivo y obligatorio. Entre mayo y junio de 2020, se realizaron 27 entrevistas telefónicas a profesionales sanitarios e informantes claves de las ciudades argentinas de Córdoba y Resistencia. Se identificaron cambios en la detección, abordaje y demanda vinculados a la reorganización sanitaria, las modificaciones en la relación asistencial y los recursos necesarios para canalizar la demanda. La pandemia ha profundizado los obstáculos de acceso a servicios sanitarios de las mujeres y ha generado otros nuevos. Ante ello, las redes entre profesionales, la práctica sanitaria feminista y los abordajes innovadores fueron identificados como facilitadores de acceso, claves para amortiguar la pandemia y garantizar derechos.

Men Tackling Isolating Gender Violence to Fight against Sexual Harassment.

Scientific literature has shown that both suffering gender-based violence and taking a stand against it could provoke severe retaliation from bystanders, including negative consequences on health. Together with some women, several men-defined as New Alternative Masculinities-have also contributed to fighting against sexual violence in several contexts, also suffering dramatic consequences, known as Isolating Gender Violence (IGV). This article fills the gap on inquiring how men suffering IGV due to intervening in supporting survivors has affected the men's health. Six in-depth interviews were conducted with men from different contexts and countries and men of different social profiles. The findings reveal how men's health is better protected when they build networks of support while overcoming the fear of retaliation in achieving to empower direct survivors. In addition, the results recognize men as crucial actors in the struggle against GBV and overcoming IGV, as women potentially do. This may inspire other men to intervene and break the silence regarding GBV in societies and institutions, as it shows that men and women together are needed to fight against GBV.

Gender-based violence during COVID-19 among adolescent girls and young women in Nairobi, Kenya: a mixed-methods prospective study over 18 months.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) disproportionately experience gender-based violence (GBV), which can increase during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cohort of youth ages 15-24 in Nairobi, Kenya was surveyed at three time points over an 18-month period prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic: June-August 2019 (prepandemic), August-October 2020 (12-month follow-up) and May 2021 (18-month follow-up). We characterise (1) prevalence, relative timing and help-seeking for leading forms of GBV, (2) GBV trajectories over 18 months and (3) associations of individual, dyad and COVID-related factors on GBV trajectories among AGYW (n=612) in Nairobi, Kenya. Virtual focus group discussions (n=12) and interviews (n=40) contextualise quantitative results. RESULTS: Intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence hovered at 17% across time points (ever at pre-pandemic; past 12 months at 12-month follow-up (2020); past 6 months at 18-month follow-up (2021)); non-partner sexual violence (SV) was 3% at 12-month and 18-month follow-up. Overall, 27.6% of AGYW experienced IPV during the pandemic. IPV during the pandemic was associated with work as the primary pre-COVID activity, low social support and partner age difference >4 years. Among AGYW partnered at all three time points, 66.2% stayed IPV-free (no IPV), 9.2% saw IPV resolve by 18-month follow-up, while 11.1% had IPV start and 13.6% experienced intermittent IPV. Help-seeking for IPV and SV in 2020 (11.1% and 4.6%, respectively) increased to 21.7% and 15.1%, respectively, by 2021. Qualitative results speak to impacts of curfews, and pandemic-related financial stress in prompting conflict and threatening traditional gender roles, and underlying conditions that enable IPV. CONCLUSION: The persistence of IPV against AGYW in Nairobi prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic reflects endemic conditions and pandemic-specific stressors. Youth, including unmarried youth, remain a priority population for GBV prevention and survivor-centred response.