Fostering participation of women survivors of violence in community-based advocacy and prevention networks: Contributions towards a collaborative model

Abstract

Violence against women persists and prevails worldwide. Women who survive are isolated in service-providing systems, with case management professionals who support navigating within the judicial, welfare, and health systems. The present study results from a PAR project “PEER NETWORK: Gender Violence and Empowerment” aimed at potentiating partnerships with women who are survivors of gender violence establishing a nationwide network of women representatives for advocacy and violence prevention. This qualitative study analyses 18 focus-group meetings transcribed verbatim (2021-2022) through thematic analysis with MAXQDA, focused on four domains: a) co-construction of guidelines for Peer Networks; b) notions of leadership and advocacy; c) facilitation and meeting management; d) roles for professionals and e) sustainability challenges. Results indicate that to build and sustain a survivor’s network and support peer advocacy efforts, the survivors require systematized knowledge of key documents and information on gender-based violence to integrate and validate their personal experiences, require a framework of systems articulated to increase effectiveness, anticipate critical incidents/crisis, and advocate a culture of prevention of abusive interpersonal relations. The resulting co-constructed PAR model reflects the multidimensional nature of gender-based violence and the relevance of extended community-based networks for gendered-based violence prevention.