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It can sometimes be challenging for survivors – and their advocates – to understand which health facility to visit for different types of treatment. There are often multiple levels of health services (i.e. health posts, health clinics, mobile clinics, hospitals) with different types of staffing (e.g. nurses, doctors), equipment and facilities. So it is vital to provide clear information for first responders at community level and in other services on where to go for different health needs. At the same time, a local health post is often the only service accessible, so health staff there need to…

Programmes seeking to establish One Stop Centres should start by mapping existing services, the needs of survivors and gaps in service provision. Mapping existing survivor support services helps ensure that One Stop Centres are adequately linked up to other services, with clear referral pathways for survivors, that they are not duplicating existing services, and that they are better placed to fill gaps in service provision.

It is important to understand what types of One Stop Centre approaches work best in different contexts and why. Thus, One Stop Centres should establish effective monitoring, learning and evaluation processes, which will help them to adapt their approaches to better serve survivors, learn lessons and produce evidence of impact. Seeking feedback from survivors who use the services, as well as those who accompany and support survivors is a key element of this.

Service providers working with survivors of VAWG are likely to be exposed repeatedly to distressing situations which can cause vicarious trauma. In order for staff to be able to provide high quality care to survivors, without experiencing burnout, they must have access to a supportive environment and care themselves. When working to develop a culture of self- and collective care, consider the following:

Work with staff to identify self-care suggestions. For example: being intentional about the media and information sources we engage with; prioritising time to engage in activities that bring…

The ability of a One Stop Centre to meet the needs of survivors of VAWG is highly dependent on factors including government support, funding available, availability of trained staff, and the existence of complementary Women and Girls’ Safe Spaces. The GBVAoR Helpdesk produced an overview of the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each model, which is summarised below. However, it is important to note that with the right funding, commitment and resources, each model has the potential to provide contextually-specific services for survivors.

Model
Potential benefits
Potential…

Survivors of VAWG may require multiple services to support their recovery and access to justice. Services they are likely to need access to include but are not limited to: 

Medical care: Survivors of VAWG may need urgent medical treatment, mental health services, and sexual and reproductive health services. This could be to treat injuries, test and treat sexually transmitted infections and HIV, and to provide prenatal care or contraceptive provision, among other activities. Read more on providing health services.
Psychosocial support: This support focuses on addressing the psychological…

Women and Girls’ Safe Spaces are environments established to ensure women and girls feel emotionally and physically safe. These spaces are designed to ensure VAWG survivors have a place to go where they are able to socialise, build support networks, access response services and access information on women’s rights, health and services, without fear of judgement or harm. Read more about how to establish a Women and Girls’ Safe Space. 

Survivors of VAWG are at risk of re-traumatisation and other mental health challenges which can be triggered by insensitive service delivery. One Stop Centre staff need to be trained in how to provide survivor-centred care that does no harm. This entails putting the safety and comfort of survivors at the forefront of service delivery, avoiding intrusive questioning, ensuring survivors have access to support at all stages, and ensuring that they are able to navigate the One Stop Centre services at their own pace. Survivors also need to be fully engaged in all decision-making processes that…

When offering referrals for VAWG survivors, it is important to seek consent from survivors to share their information and connect them with relevant support services. The process of seeking consent ensures that survivors are actively involved in the decision-making process and have control over the support they receive. Moreover, by ensuring survivors are well-informed about their options and available resources, you enable them to make choices that align with their unique needs and circumstances. This approach contributes to a survivor-centred and trauma-informed response.

All information exchanged should be kept between the service provider and the survivor, unless the survivor voluntarily chooses to disclose information to another individual or if their life is in immediate danger. In cases where an interpreter or cultural mediator is needed, that individual should be equally knowledgeable of how to maintain confidentiality and be accountable to any codes of conduct or protocols that exist for service providers. 

Keeping information confidential begins with ensuring the technologies (e.g. mobile phones, landlines, websites, apps, etc.) used to communicate…