During the COVID-19 lockdown in Egypt, many women who were experiencing domestic violence had access to social media platforms. This enabled them to learn about resources and support that could help them deal with the abuse. In 2015, 36% of married Egyptian women aged between 15 and 49 reported experiencing domestic violence.
A new study published in “Nature Human Behavior” found that receiving videos and reminders during the pandemic increased media consumption about domestic violence against women, thereby increasing women’s knowledge of available resources and their willingness to seek help.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights in Cairo, and researchers surveyed 10,000 women via Facebook, with 5,618 women enrolled in the trial from July to September 2020. Participants were aged between 18 and 55, and the study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the “You Are Not Alone” media campaign’s publication.
The study’s authors sent video clips and reminders to watch TV programs by an Egyptian human rights lawyer that focused on her work on gender stereotypes and violence to a sample of Egyptian women recruited via Facebook and WhatsApp. Over the course of eight weeks, participants in three groups were sent thirteen messages via Facebook or WhatsApp that contained links to a website that posted YouTube videos. Personalized WhatsApp messages had the most significant effect on how many people watched shows.
The targeted intervention’s content was the information offered by the Egyptian lawyer in the films that addressed issues of domestic abuse and gender-based violence. The study showed that only 28% of women who had been polled before the trial were aware of any internet resources, and only 22% of them were aware of any groups that helped women who were victims of gender-based violence.
The study’s co-author emphasized that the experiment only included women for two reasons. The first was that the Egyptian Center’s content mainly focused on women, and the second was to protect women from being subjected to online harassment if they were included in mixed-sex groups. However, participating in the trial, learning about available resources, and viewing encouraging information did not alter the participants’ underlying attitudes regarding women’s place in society.
