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.