Public Signals: Changes In Equity-Oriented Website Content Among Sexual and Domestic Violence Organizations

Background and Purpose:
Sexual and domestic violence (SV/DV) state coalitions and national organizations play a central role in shaping social work practice, policy, and survivors’ access to critical information, resources, and support. Their websites function as key access points within the violence response system, communicating priorities and providing essential information and referrals. In the current sociopolitical context, organizations face increasing pressure related to equity-focused work, raising concerns about how shifts in public-facing communication may affect survivors’ ability to locate timely, relevant, and identity-affirming resources. This study examines changes in equity-oriented website content among state SV/DV coalitions and national organizations across two timepoints and considers implications for survivor access and organizational responses under constraint.

Methods:
We conducted a mixed methods content analysis of 103 organizational websites with data collected at two timepoints (Time 1: October/November 2024 using the Internet Archive Wayback Machine; Time 2: November 2025 to February 2026). Websites were systematically coded across eight domains of inclusion: LGBTQIA2S+ communities, trans and nonbinary people, communities of color, Indigenous communities, immigrants, language access, disability and accessibility, and reproductive health. Each domain was rated on a three-point scale (0 = not present, 1 = brief mention, 2 = meaningful inclusion), and scores were summed to create an overall inclusion index (range 0–16). Quantitative analyses assessed changes in inclusion scores over time, and qualitative analysis examined shifts in framing, visibility, and accessibility of content.

Results:
Overall inclusion scores declined significantly between timepoints, indicating reductions in equity-oriented content and potential constraints on how survivors access relevant resources. Declines were most pronounced in references to trans and nonbinary people, LGBTQIA2S+ communities, immigrants, and communities of color, while changes in other domains were smaller and not consistently statistically significant. Reductions were not associated with state policy environment, suggesting that changes occurred broadly across organizations. Qualitative findings indicate multiple patterns of organizational change, including removal or reduced visibility of identity-specific resources, restructuring of websites in ways that limit accessibility, and shifts toward more generalized or neutral language. In several cases, changes extended beyond symbolic messaging to include the loss of practical, survivor-facing resources such as helplines, safety planning tools, and resource directories critical for help-seeking and safety. Organizational responses were uneven, with some maintaining or strengthening equity commitments.

Conclusions and Implications:
SV/DV organizations are reshaping public-facing communication as part of broader changes in violence response systems within a shifting sociopolitical environment. These changes have implications for how equity is operationalized in prevention and response and for survivors’ ability to access timely, relevant, and affirming support. Findings suggest that equity-oriented website content functions as core organizational infrastructure rather than supplemental messaging. Organizational communication is a key site where equity commitments are enacted, constrained, or transformed in ways that directly shape access to resources. Implications include the need to monitor how communication decisions affect survivor help-seeking and outcomes, and to develop guidance that supports organizations in sustaining accessible, equity-oriented resources under constraint. This study contributes to understanding how organizational practices shape survivors’ access, the functioning of violence response systems, and community well-being.