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.

Non-Partner Sexual Violence Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Adults: A Scoping Review.

The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) population is rapidly growing in the United States. Despite sexual violence being a persistent and significant public health issue, research on this topic among AANHPIs is lacking. The study objective is to conduct a systematic scoping review on the published literature on non-partner sexual violence among AANHPIs to identify gaps and priorities to inform actionable research. The systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA Protocol for Systematic Reviews. Database searches were conducted of MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central of Clinical Trials, along with and AgeLine and CINAHL for peer-reviewed articles describing non-partner sexual violence among AANHPIs. The search was limited to articles in English published after 1990. Each citation was reviewed by two trained independent reviewers, with a third researcher resolving any conflicts. Of the 998 articles screened and subsequently 496 full-text articles assessed for eligibility, 38 articles were included in the final analysis. The majority of studies did not report disaggregated data for AANHPI subgroups, with most focusing on East Asian subgroups and little evidence on NHPI communities. Most studies were cross-sectional, quantitative, and employed non-probability sampling. There was a lack of studies on effectiveness of interventions and validity of sexual violence-related measures. Our review provides a first step in mapping the extant literature on non-partner sexual violence among this underserved and under-researched population and will serve as a guide for future research, policy, and intervention.