Implementing rigorous ethical procedures is paramount when conducting research on violence against women (VAW) because of the potential physical and psychological safety risks posed by participating in, and conducting, such sensitive research.
While the expansion of ethical guidelines for VAW research has been welcomed by researchers and practitioners worldwide, there will always be a need for these guidelines to be locally adapted in different research settings for a more context-specific and situated approach to research ethics.
As part of the EVE Project, we have been working alongside communities in Samoa using innovative, participatory methods to co-develop an ethical framework for the project that reflects local realities and that upholds Samoan cultural values.