Recommendations for Victim Service Providers to Mitigate Future Service Disruption

• In Event: Assessing the Needs and Capacities of Victim Service Providers

Abstract

Service disruptions include any events that prevent an organization from offering their services. These can be as significant as natural disasters, a pandemic, or a cyber-attack. However, these can also be smaller challenges, such as the retirement of a key staff member or an internet outage that disrupts virtual appointments. Victim service providers play a critical role in their communities and thus must prepare to work around service disruptions. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread service disruptions that had a disproportionate impact on victims of crime, and community-based victim service provider (VSP) agencies were tasked with maintaining accessibility to their critical services. Based on a larger study focused on understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on VSPs serving people who had experienced gender-based violence in eight U.S. counties, this presentation will focus on lessons learned from the ways VSPs pivoted their services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these lessons can be applied to help VSPs prepare for future service disruptions. This presentation will focus on actionable recommendations for (a) victim service provider leadership, (b) funders, and (c) policymakers preparing for service disruptions.

Authors

• Hannah Feeney, RTI International

• Rebecca Pfeffer, RTI International

• Lauren Alyssa Vollinger, RTI International

• Leanne McCallum Desselle, RTI International