Survivor Voices and Institutional Barriers: Assessing One-Stop Crisis Centers in Bangladesh through the Gender-Responsive Public Services Framework

One-Stop Crisis Centers (OCCs) are intended to deliver coordinated health, legal, and psychosocial support for survivors of gender-based violence. This qualitative study examines OCC operations in Bangladesh through the perspectives of survivors and service providers. Five key themes emerged: unequal awareness and access, institutional gaps and resource shortages, survivor experiences and service sensitivity, fragmented coordination, and insufficient feedback and oversight. These findings reveal a significant gap between policy objectives and actual experiences. Applying the Gender-Responsive Public Services framework, the study identifies persistent challenges, including limited access, reduced service quality due to institutional and social barriers, inadequate coordination, weak accountability, and minimal survivor involvement. Young, rural, and unmarried survivors encounter additional barriers, such as social stigma, lack of privacy, greater logistical challenges in reaching OCCs, and fear of negative community reactions. To ensure OCCs fully meet the needs of survivors, stakeholders must immediately increase resources, strengthen accountability, and prioritize survivor participation in ongoing reforms.