If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
NOTE: I am not a mental health professional. The purpose of this blog is to educate and to synthesize and centralize credible mental health resources to make these more accessible for students, focusing on specific mental health issues related to the COVID-19. Please talk to a licensed professional about any symptoms, medications, treatments, or otherwise actions related to mental health.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, restrictions on finance, socialization, and mobility have caused a dramatic increase in domestic violence occurrences in almost all nations. Domestic violence, particularly against women, has long been a serious threat to the health and well-being of millions of people. In some countries such as China, those at risk of being victims have increased threefold.
The pandemic has decreased access and/or funding to domestic abuse hotlines, shelters, and other organizations that seek to protect victims. Being home much more frequently not only presents more opportunities for incidents to occur, but also takes away many opportunities for victims to escape, which in many cases occur when the abuser is not in the household. Escaping from an abusive home, whether the escapee be a partner or a child, is typically safest when the abuser is not there.
In many instances police are also more likely to avoid direct confrontations or arrest perpetrators of violence. Governments as a whole are focusing their attention and funding towards responding to the pandemic, and therefore may not be as concentrated on helping victims of violence, despite a shocking increase in such violence being the result of the pandemic. The UN Chief Antonio Guterres has called on nations for a 'ceasefire' on domestic abuse in addition to more violence in the form of war during the pandemic.
Lastly, the economic crisis during the pandemic has two main effects on domestic abuse. Firstly, the increased difficulty in raising and maintaining funds for oneself to escape an abusive home due to unemployment and work at home measures, which work may be spotted by controlling abusers, leaves victims less financially independent as a whole. Secondly, in addition to stress from a lack of proper socialization, financial stressors during the lockdown that has seen major rises in unemployment leave abusers more irritated and stressed such that they are more likely to be violent.
Once again, I would like to make clear that this article is simply to centralize information about domestic violence during the lockdown. If you yourself are a victim of domestic violence, PLEASE see the website, phone number, and text code at the top of this page. You will be able to speak with a professional who can provide you with the assistance you need.
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