eprintid: 10187080
rev_number: 6
eprint_status: archive
userid: 699
dir: disk0/10/18/70/80
datestamp: 2024-02-13 11:27:22
lastmod: 2024-02-13 11:27:22
status_changed: 2024-02-13 11:27:22
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
sword_depositor: 699
creators_name: Mahlangu, Pinky
creators_name: Machisa, Mercilene Tanyaradzwa
creators_name: Jewkes, Rachel
creators_name: Gibbs, Andrew
creators_name: Shai, Nwabisa
creators_name: Sikweyiya, Yandisa
title: Reflections on the process, challenges, and lessons learned conducting remote qualitative research on Violence against women during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in South Africa
ispublished: pub
divisions: UCL
divisions: B04
divisions: C06
divisions: F59
keywords: Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Public, Environmental & Occupational Health, COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Remote data collection methods, Violence against women research, Intimate partner violence, Telephone interviews, South Africa, SOCIAL MEDIA, FACEBOOK
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abstract: Background: Violence against women (VAW) research is a sensitive topic, which has been conducted mainly using face-to-face methods. The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and restrictions on movement presented an opportunity to conduct VAW research using remote methods. We discuss how we adapted methods, reflect on lessons learned, and make recommendations highlighting key considerations when conducting remote research on a sensitive topic of VAW. Methods: We designed and conducted an exploratory qualitative study using remote methods with 18 men and 19 women, aged 18 years and older, who lived with their partner or spouse during lockdown in South Africa. The aim of the study was to explore experiences of COVID-19 lockdown, and its link to women and children’s experiences of violence in the homes. Data presented in this paper draws from researchers’ reflections drawn from debriefing sessions during the research process, and from participants’ interview transcripts. Findings: Remote recruitment of participants took longer than anticipated, and we had to re-advertise the study. We could not ensure safety and privacy during interviews. Regardless of all the safety and privacy measures we put in place during the research process, some participants had an adult person present in the room during interviews, and the researchers had no control over interruptions. Rapport was difficult to establish without an in-person connection, which limited disclosure about violence experience (amongst women) and perpetration (amongst men). Conclusions: Given the methodological and ethical challenges which limited disclosure of VAW remotely, we conclude that telephone interviews used in our study impacted on the quality of study data. Therefore, we do not recommend VAW research to be conducted remotely, unless it is essential and participants are already known to the interviewer and trust has been established.
date: 2024-01-02
date_type: published
publisher: BMC
official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17480-z
oa_status: green
full_text_type: pub
language: eng
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 2139789
doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-17480-z
medium: Electronic
pii: 10.1186/s12889-023-17480-z
lyricists_name: Gibbs, Andrew
lyricists_id: AGIBB63
actors_name: Flynn, Bernadette
actors_id: BFFLY94
actors_role: owner
funding_acknowledgements: [South African Medical Research Council]
full_text_status: public
publication: BMC Public Health
volume: 24
article_number: 33
pages: 9
event_location: England
issn: 1471-2458
citation:        Mahlangu, Pinky;    Machisa, Mercilene Tanyaradzwa;    Jewkes, Rachel;    Gibbs, Andrew;    Shai, Nwabisa;    Sikweyiya, Yandisa;      (2024)    Reflections on the process, challenges, and lessons learned conducting remote qualitative research on Violence against women during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in South Africa.                   BMC Public Health , 24     , Article 33.  10.1186/s12889-023-17480-z <https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17480-z>.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10187080/1/s12889-023-17480-z.pdf