Organize same sex focus group discussions to elicit perceptions of sexual violence

Same-sex focus groups were one of the strategies adopted by REWAC to address the issue of SGBV in communities. Altogether, 7 same-sex focus groups were organized in the communities. 2 were organized in Wum, 1 in Belo, and 4 in Bamendakwe. There were 15 participants in each focus group with 6 of them being female focus groups and 1 being male. Issues discussed during the FGD sessions were around the understanding of community members about GBV, the various forms of GBV encountered in the community, the profile of survivors as well as that of perpetrators, the effect of SGBV on survivors, the attitudes of the community towards survivors and perpetrators, the type of support services available to the community and the access to these services by survivors. These sessions helped the project team have a better understanding of the community norms as concerns SGBV, helping them better tailor their activities to efficiently respond to the needs of the population.

Output: 7 focus group discussions were held with 7 same sex groups it 105 participants (90 female and 15 male).

Outcome: In-depth understanding of perceptions of sexual violence through Insights gained from the focus group discussions provide a comprehensive understanding of the perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs related to sexual violence among participants

Identification of barriers and challenges as participants contribute to identifying barriers and challenges that prevent individuals from reporting or seeking support for sexual violence, highlighting gaps in services and interventions.

Generation of recommendations and strategies through participants collaboratively develop recommendations and strategies to address sexual violence, taking into account the specific needs and concerns of the same-sex community.