Domestic violence and the COVID-19 crisis – ‘old wine’ in ‘new wine skins’

The world is in crisis! The COVID-19 pandemic has descended upon us, moving silently and swiftly; infecting and killing many individuals and families and leaving complete destruction in its wake. As of May 24 2020, the World Health Organisation has recorded 109,885 new cases, 5,206,614 confirmed cases and 337,736 deaths worldwide. This grimly painted picture presents neither panaceas, nor quick fixes, but instead thrusts upon us the necessity of making choices between basic needs and wants. While disrupting the home equilibrium, it also fosters resiliency and gives persons a better perception of the event that moves with complicated symptomology.

During this COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a substantive rise in domestic violence cases globally, involving persons who are single, separated, divorced, or are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. What we have seen is an exacerbation of existing stressors within homes and relationships that may have influenced the exponential rise in domestic violence cases.

One such stressor is social isolation. In the context of domestic violence, the woman who may already be isolated has no one to turn to or any place to go when being battered against when all the needs of the man (perpetrator) in the relationship cannot be met. The “stay home, stay safe” message adopted by many countries around the world, may not apply to the victims of domestic violence, as “stay home, stay safe,” may be more “unsafe.”

Additional stressors such as inadequate housing, the inability to feed their family, purchase basic items and the sheer anxiety of experiencing a crisis can create the environment for even greater risky behaviours to persist. If there is inadequate parenting or conflict resolution skills, escalation into violence can ensue, not only towards partners but also their children. These situations provide a test tube of volatile elements for escalation of violence. In fact, the UN Women has dubbed the rise in domestic violence as the Shadow Pandemic.

Statistics show that in France, reports of domestic violence have increased by 30 per cent since their lockdown on March 17. In Argentina, emergency calls for domestic violence cases have risen by 25 per cent since their March 20 lockdown. In Cyprus and Singapore, helplines have registered an increase in calls of 30 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively. In Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, there has been a growth in the demand for emergency shelters. In Australia, 40 per cent of frontline workers have encountered requests for help by survivors of domestic violence, while 70 per cent of cases have amplified in complexity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Barriers to help

The rise in reports of domestic violence is happening at the same time essential services are being compromised for the victims of the pandemic. Elsewhere, support staff are becoming overburdened with pandemic cases, as it places an even greater strain on the response from key personnel who should normally intervene and assist the victims of domestic violence cases.

The element of physical distancing, while necessary, may also become a barrier to the victims of domestic violence, who may need to access social services and support. However, these services may have been adjusted to accommodate the working from home stipulation, through either, phone calls, or emails. This situation is a grave concern for victims who, without resources, cannot access help in their plight to escape their domestic violence pandemic, creating what I term ‘a crisis within a crisis’ as the victims’ access to mobile phones, computers, and internet use may become restricted, as they fall prey to more scrutiny beneath the watchful eye of their abuser.

COVID-19 is therefore a ‘call to arms’ for social workers, social work students and their associations to support and advocate for women in these dire circumstances. Social Workers and Civil Society can build strong awareness and advocacy about the present situation of violence during this COVID-19 pandemic. They can develop media campaigns to raise awareness and bring greater visibility of the growth in domestic violence during this troubled time. Social media platforms can be the stomping ground for these campaigns. Pictures of the right resolutions accessed through Pixabay and Unsplash can help web developers put forward a polished product.

The world has become even more virtual during this pandemic. As such, online resources have become critical in raising awareness and spreading knowledge about domestic violence. Now is not the time to take a back seat, but a time to rally together, with all the skills, knowledge, values and principles that we have imbibed throughout the years as practicing social workers. These tools provide a sturdy bridge of hope and help to intervene in the lives of these women. The tools are available; we just need to use them.

Dr Debra Joseph is a Lecturer in Social Work at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill

debra.joseph@cavehill.uwi.edu