Covid Awareness

PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS FOR BOOM IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES

Domestic Abuse was a global pandemic long before COVID-19. COVID-19 has resulted in people staying at home in isolation, thereby resulting in a more fierce outburst of domestic violence cases all over the world. Domestic abuse leads to psychological and emotional wounds leading to a decline in the mental health of the victims. Domestic Abuse victims may suffer from Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts. The increase in numbers clearly shows how many people are vulnerable and how they’ve not been attended to (mentally) and hence leading to severe psychological distress among many. Today, rising numbers of sick people, growing unemployment, increased anxiety and financial stress, and a scarcity of community resources have set the stage for an intense domestic violence crisis. Many victims find themselves isolated in violent homes, without access to resources or friends and family networks. Talking about the abusers, they could be experiencing heightened financial pressures and stress, and increased their consumption of alcohol or drugs, and purchased or hoarded guns as a way to protect themselves from the terror around them. Experts have characterized an “invisible pandemic” of domestic violence during the COVID-19 crisis as a “ticking time bomb” or a “perfect storm”.

STEPS TO CONTROL AND SEEK HELP AGAINST IT DURING LOCKDOWN

Now the most important question is – “What happens to these victims of domestic violence”.

1. The United Nations has emphasized that countries must incorporate a gender perspective in their responses to the COVID-19 crisis. Several NGOs all across the globe have taken initiatives towards this direction by being available for these victims through hotlines, text messages, and mobile applications.

2. Since this virus has led to people being more dependent on technology, governments have shifted to virtual court hearings.

3. Governments all over the world need to support the development of alternative reporting mechanisms, expand shelter options, strengthen the capacity of the security and justice sectors, maintain vital sexual and reproductive health services, where domestic and sexual violence victims are often identified and supported, support independent women’s groups, finance economic security measures for women workers, especially those serving on the front lines of the pandemic or in the informal economy, and other groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic, such as migrant, refugee, homeless, and trans women; and collect comprehensive data on the gendered impact of COVID-19.

With the ongoing virus, there has been a rapid increase in the number of domestic violence cases. However, this pandemic has created a larger awareness about this issue and elated officials and the general public are more aware of this invisible pandemic than ever before. This might be the time where finally this matter would be looked intseriously and all the necessities to address this issue would be done. However, at the same time, this pandemic has the potential to continue to marginalize domestic violence survivors in dire need of support amid what could become the greatest global economic crisis ever. A lot of efforts  will have to go towards the survivors who are under-served as this virus might reinforce their mistrust towards the formal system and hence alienating it altogether.