(4) Comprehensive Crisis Intervention Strategies - Conclusion

The Results

Spangaro’s The impact of interventions to reduce risk and incidence of intimate partner violence and sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict states and other humanitarian crises in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review, updates and broadens a 2013 analysis of interventions aimed at mitigating the risk and incidence of sexual and intimate partner violence (SIPV) in conflict and post-conflict settings, as well as other humanitarian crises. It examined 16 studies conducted in 12 countries between 2011 and 2020, represented in 18 academic papers. The review categorized the interventions into six types: personnel training, community mobilization, social norms transformation, economic empowerment, general empowerment, and survivor responses. Economic empowerment and gendered social norms interventions emerged were the most prevalent. Positive impacts on mental health were noticed in some cases where economic empowerment, social norms, and survivor interventions were used. Evidence shows that all types of interventions can lower the risk of such violence. Qualitative data suggests that social connection is essential for women participating in these interventions. Multi-strategy interventions are promising, but reducing sexual and intimate partner violence in crises remains challenging. (Spangaro, et al., 2021)

Humanitarian organizations are having a tremendous impact around the globe. In the year 2021, 34,000 Survivors of SGBV received psychosocial counseling, while remote and life-saving support was provided for 479,000 survivors of gender-based violence. (UNHCR, 2021) Specific statistics on this demographic are hard to come by, indicating the need for more research into this topic.

Future research

Research on Refugee populations globally exists in abundance, as does information on people smuggling and human trafficking. A smaller but also substantial body of research focused on these issues within the context of the MENA region. Even the trifecta of refugees and people smuggling within the MENA region has solid work. However, adding sexual gender-based violence in the context of escaping conflict zones is surprisingly scarce. The Women’s Peace and Security Initiative identifies the importance of finding data-driven best practices for aid workers in Europe dealing with this specific demographic when they arrive on European soil. So far, best practices are generalized to victims of SGBV and lack contextualization within the scope of this paper. (Holvikivi, 2020)

Additionally, much research has been done on the issue of sexual violence IN conflict zones, but little on sexual violence that occurred during or post-flight: in transit or within camps. This is vital as the context surrounding each situation is vastly different, and a rape that happens in the context of war likely differs significantly from intimate partner sexual violence, which is known to be elevated within this demographic. (Ozcurumez, Akyuz, & Bradby, 2021)

Finally, further research be conducted on the best ways to implement social norms interventions. This would involve culturally specific social intervention tactics, including education, and whether it is better to include mixed or single-sex groups. Research must inform the methodologies used to address these culturally sensitive issues.  (Spangaro, et al., 2021)

Findings

Despite the numerous factors at play and the cultural issues, most of the current best practices in intervention closely mirror intervention tactics used in the Western world for general crisis management and sexual assault response. These practices should be tailored to fit the cultural and legal norms within the MENA region, and tools for victims must be used in ways that are accessible to them despite their level of education. However, the general practice remains the same: unconditional empathy, tremendous concern for the needs of others, and an unwavering willingness to help. With these three characteristics and a small amount of training, even unqualified humanitarian workers can reach into the lives of refugee women who have experienced sexual violence while escaping conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa.