THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE TIME OF PANDEMIC

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN OFFICIAL POLICIES AND INFORMATION NEEDS OF VICTIMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE

Abstract

A large number of researches have been conducted on the information behaviour and needs of vulnerable groups, especially victims of family violence during (quasi)emergencies and the role of NGOs in providing assistance to their users. Still, in the Republic of Croatia, it is an unexplored area. The lack of research was the reason for conducting broader research in the Republic of Croatia that would enable a deeper understanding of the described topic. The aim of this paper is to fill the gap on the role of NGOs in providing the necessary information to their users in order to identify the best ways and communication channels through which victims who have experienced family violence can access the necessary information in everyday life. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the problems encountered by employees of NGOs in accessing and using information from the immediate environment during COVID-19, especially relevant information for preserving and protecting the rights of persons exposed to family violence and potentially other vulnerable groups. Efforts are being made to investigate the experiences and knowledge of NGO professionals regarding the violent victimisation of their users and COVID-19 as a potential criminogenic factor in the occurrence of family violence. A qualitative focus group method was used in the research. Focus groups were conducted from September 2020 to December 2021 in five different cities among NGO employees dealing with the protection of victims of family violence. Given the lack of research on the topic, the research results contribute to the theoretical and practical reflection on the role of NGOs in providing the necessary information to its users at the national and international levels. In the scientific sense, the conducted research opens the way for further research and increases awareness of this topic in the community.