Applying Mobile Technology to Address Gender-Based Violence in Rural Nigeria: Experiences and Perceptions of Users...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a significant public health issue globally.
• Low-resource settings face challenges in reporting and addressing GBV.
• Mobile phone penetration offers potential for innovative health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the mobile phone technology, text4life, for self-reporting GBV among women in Nigeria.
• To explore user experiences with the text4life intervention among women, healthcare providers, and civil society organization (CSO) staff.
• To assess the utility of mobile technology in providing support services for GBV survivors.

Main Methods:

• A 27-month intervention using the text4life mobile platform in Nigeria.
• Quantitative analysis of 3,403 text reports received, with 34.9% reporting GBV.
• Qualitative interviews with women reporting GBV, healthcare providers, and CSO officials.

Main Results:

• The text4life system successfully received over 3,400 reports, with a substantial portion related to GBV.
• Many women reported satisfaction and received medical and psychological care.
• Survivors often opted against legal action due to anticipated social and cultural backlash.

Conclusions:

• Mobile phone technology is a viable tool for reporting GBV in low-resource environments.
• The intervention highlights the need for a shift towards primary GBV prevention strategies.
• Future mobile health interventions should aim for equitable primary prevention to address the root causes of GBV.