The goal of this knowledge mobilization project was to frame my dissertation research in an accessible format for front-line workers in major Indian cities. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) is an emerging issue across India, especially in urban centres with high rates of technology adoption. Akin to traditional and offline forms of violence, TFGBV can result in significant health, safety, political, and economic consequences for women and girls.
Despite rising rates of TFGBV, there is a lack of culturally informed resources available for service providers and front-line workers. This toolkit aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive guide to responding to and supporting TFGBV survivors. Through curated case studies and culturally informed resources, this toolkit can build capacity among workers in the gender-based violence field.
Project Details
Research Process
My dissertation employs a multi-site focused ethnography which includes observational data and in-depth interviews with a range of front-line workers including nurses, counsellors, lawyers, crisis workers, technical specialists, and educators. In turn, this toolkit provides an overview of the anti-violence landscape and outlines specific strategies for service providers across major Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru.
Who is this Toolkit for?
This toolkit was created for front-line workers, particularly within the gender-based violence sector in India. Beyond the target audience, this toolkit will also benefit city workers, including police officers, hospital employees, healthcare professionals, and survivors of TFGBV.
ABOUT ME
I am Madelaine Coelho and I am a PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto. My dissertation explores responses to technology-facilitated forms of gender-based violence pan-India.
My father and his family immigrated from India before I was born but I have been brought up with South Asian values while living in Canada. Doing anti-violence work with South Asian women and girls, I realised that existing resources did not capture the unique cultural conditions which shape experiences of violence and abuse. This dissertation has allowed me to connect more deeply with my culture while also conducting important research on this emerging issue.
Acknowledgements
My dissertation research has been supported through a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) program, and a Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement with the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada.
Other financial support includes a Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society Graduate Fellowship and a Ranjit Kumar Graduate Fellowship at the University of Toronto.
This toolkit was partially funded by a School of Cities Graduate Fellowship, which funds student fellows working on urban-focused research projects.