Gender-Based Violence Case Management Service

Abstract

Gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations being practiced across different countries, including Ethiopia. The main objective of the study is to assess the GBV case management service and associated factors on female survivors at the Association for Women Sanctuary and Development, Ethiopia. The mixed research approach that includes both quantitative and qualitative was employed with an institutional-based cross-sectional survey design. A total of 110 survivors were included in the study from two safehouses. A structured questionnaire was used as a survey instrument and interview guide employed for qualitative data collection. The factors associated with GBV were identified for analysis and categorized into individual, relationship, community, and societal level factors. A binary logistic regression and thematic analysis were used for quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Findings indicate that survivors were brought to a safehouse due to sexual, physical, and psychological or verbal abuse. Most of the violence was committed by an intimate partner, relatives, and strangers. About 35.5% of survivors were not getting appropriate gender-based case management services. There is a need for urgent attention of those stakeholders who are engaged in the provision of case management services to improve their services regarding the four principles of GBV case management services, namely right to safety, confidentiality, respect, and dignity, plus the right to the best possible assistance without discrimination.