Exit strategies

The ground realities in post-war zones are ever-changing and could turn worse in no time. The risks posed to researchers may exceed an acceptable level and researchers should have the ability to leave the situation, and possibly the post-war zone, at short notice. Pre-identifying risks that are unacceptable and act as ‘red lines’ will aid the researcher’s readiness to flee the area when such events occur. It is important to be alert all the time and assess situations proactively in order to make conscious decisions. Not taking a decision to leave the area may put lives at risk; as such, it is prudent to incorporate possible evacuation strategies in advance. Researchers are always encouraged to have a ‘plan of escape’ (Belousov et al., 2007) before setting out for fieldwork. This may include possible pre-identified escape routes, contact persons and communication procedures. Having multiple escape plans will provide researchers with a range of options at their disposal to limit risks and provide the best chance of escape. For example, there was a pre-identified escape route in place at the start of the fieldwork and during the fieldwork in this study, two more exit routes were added to provide the best possible chance of escape.