Cities across the globe have implemented lockdown measures to halt the spread of COVID-19. In saving lives, one vulnerable group has come to the forefront as increasingly in harm’s way: women and children have had no respite from their abusers.
No one has liked lockdown measures, but some have especially found it a difficult time as they have had to spend hours more with their abusive partners. The alarming rise in domestic abuse has happened in countries like the United States, Brazil, China, and Italy.
Triple the Cases
To highlight the problem’s extent, Hubei province reported triple the domestic abuse cases since last year. In February of last year, they had 47 cases, but during that same period in 2020, they had 167 cases. Worse, this only logs the cases where the woman sought help. You have many cases where the victim never reached out because their abuser threatened them.
Prime Conditions for Harm
An overwhelming number of circumstances play into this. With women unable to go out, this has created an environment ripe for domestic abuse. Many predicted this side effect of lockdown measures. You see a rise in cases with economic crises, emergencies, and disease outbreaks. The second biggest issue comes from how as hospitals become more crowded with patients, they will be less equipped to help the victims of domestic abuse. This means help will be even less accessible.
Lockdown: The Nightmare of Domestic Abuse Victims
Being confined to a home with a violent abuser is a nightmare. No one likes lockdown, but this vulnerable group hates it even more because they can’t escape. Some governments have been called on to free up funding for safehouses where the women can go. Unfortunately, the available safehouses have filled up with the rise of cases during the pandemic. Click here for statistics regarding domestic violence in the United States. Domestic violence is a serious case and should not be taken for granted. Hiring a family law attorney for domestic violence can help you.
The Effects Rage On
In some regions of the United States, they have lifted lockdown measures, but the effects of the pandemic will likely send shockwaves throughout society until we have the vaccine. With the coming flu season, COVID-19 cases have surged with 198,633 new cases in a single day. One in four women will experience intimate partner violence. The violence is physical, but it has other forms like psychological, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse.
What Can You Do?
You might ask a close friend or family member if you can stay at their home during the pandemic. Asking help from a church or religious organization might act as a second option if someone doesn’t have somewhere to turn. You might call a help hotline or report it to the police.
Even if you can’t talk out loud, you can call certain hotlines where you could cough or tap on the phone for yes or no answers. The information on the home address will automatically go straight to the police where they can send for immediate help. Many options exist, but you should leave the situation immediately. Do not stay, or it will continue.
Here’s why you should leave:
- Safety
- Chance at a better life
- Improved overall health
- Better mental health
COVID-19 has raised the ante for domestic abuse victims who already had a dangerous situation. Many times, the abuser controls their finances. The pandemic left 20.5 million people without jobs in May 2020. That has meant even more financial dependence for some domestic abuse victims. While the circumstances have become more serious, you can’t emphasize enough that domestic abuse victims should seek help.
Don’t stay in an abusive relationship. In 2017, 2,237 domestic abuse victims were murdered because the violence continued to escalate. Rarely is it a single instance of domestic abuse. In most cases, a dangerous pattern emerges that ends with great harm to the victim.
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