For most of us, the discomfort of being in quarantine is limited to boredom and the inability to lead a normal life. However, for many, home confinement can have much more serious consequences. Most of the countries that went into strict quarantine a few weeks ago are reporting a new epidemic that is developing in parallel with COVID-19, namely the epidemic of domestic violence.
Despite all the national differences, the statistics on this issue in all affected countries are surprisingly uniform. For example, in France since the announcement of the quarantine, the number of calls to the police in connection with domestic violence has increased by about 30%. In Spain, there were 18% more calls to women’s hotlines. In Australia, Google reports a surge in searches for organizations that help victims of violence. In China, in regions that were under strict quarantine, the number of detected cases of domestic violence tripled in February-March1.
And not only women are suffering from the new epidemic. For many underprivileged children, for whom school was the only safe space, quarantine has also been a personal tragedy. Physical abuse, constant fighting, neglect of basic needs, failure to learn have become a reality for too many children in different countries.
For example, in Sweden, the number of calls to the hotline for children and adolescents has more than doubled during the anti-coronavirus measures.2. Let’s not forget about older people: violence against them (often from people who care for them) is an extremely common problem in countries with a poorly developed social system, and these data rarely make it into official statistics.
Speaking of domestic violence, it is important to remember that it can be both direct physical aggression and even a threat to life, as well as psychological, sexual and financial violence. For example, insults and humiliation, control of social ties and limiting contacts with relatives and friends, imposing strict rules of behavior and punishments for their non-compliance, ignoring basic needs (for example, in food or medicine), deprivation of funds, coercion to sexual practices, threats of address of pets or children for the purpose of manipulating or retaining the victim.
Isolation in a confined space creates a sense of impunity in the perpetrator
Domestic violence has many faces, and the consequences are not always visible to the naked eye, such as bruises and broken bones. And the increase in the manifestation of all these types of violence is what we are seeing right now.
What led to such a large-scale surge of aggression? There is no single answer here, since we are talking about a combination of many factors. On the one hand, the pandemic, like any crisis, exposes the pain points of society, makes visible what has always been in it.
Domestic violence did not appear out of nowhere — it was always there, only in peacetime it was easier to hide it from prying eyes, it was easier to put up with it, it was easier not to notice it. Many women and children have lived in hell for a long time, the only difference is that they had small windows of freedom to survive — work, school, friends.
With the introduction of quarantine, living conditions have changed dramatically. Social isolation and the physical inability to leave the space where you are in danger led to a rapid escalation of the problem.
Isolation in a confined space gives rise to a sense of impunity in the rapist: the victim cannot go anywhere, it is easier to control her, no one will see her bruises and she has no one to ask for help. In addition, the partners lose the opportunity to take a break from each other, to cool down — which cannot be an excuse for violence, but definitely becomes one of the factors provoking it.
Another important factor is alcohol, the consumption of which has also increased significantly with the introduction of restrictive measures. And it’s no secret that excessive drinking always leads to escalation of conflicts. In addition, according to research, high levels of stress and tension also lead to an increase in the tendency to aggression and violence. That is why, in times of economic and social crises, more and more people begin to take out their stress, insecurity and fear on loved ones.
Faced with this epidemic of violence, most European countries have begun to introduce a variety of anti-crisis measures. For example, in France, they opened an additional hotline for victims of violence and developed a system of code words, using which victims can ask for help at a pharmacy, one of the few places where most people have access3. The French government has also invested in renting several thousand hotel rooms for women and children who are not safe to stay at home.
The Swedish government has also used funds to support organizations that help victims of violence, and in cooperation with a large hotel chain, provided overcrowded shelters with new places.4 .
And these measures, of course, are worthy of praise, but they are more like trying to put out a forest fire with a dozen small fire extinguishers. A woman who, in a nightgown, fled to a shelter hotel with small children, while her offender continues to live at home as if nothing had happened, is better than a murdered woman, but much worse than an initially socially protected person.
Victims of domestic violence are not some abstract women who are not related to us
The current crisis has shown us the true scale of the problem, and, unfortunately, it will not be possible to solve it with one-off non-systemic measures. Since domestic violence in more than 90% of cases is the violence of men against women, the key to solving this problem lies in the structural, systematic work to promote equality in society and protect women’s rights. Only a combination of such work with adequate legislation and a law enforcement system that effectively punishes rapists can protect women and children, whose life is more like a prison.
But structural measures are complex and also require political will and long-term work. What can we personally do right now? There are many small steps that can improve—and sometimes even save—the life of another person. After all, victims of domestic violence are not some abstract women who have nothing to do with us. They can be our friends, relatives, neighbors and teachers of our children. And the scariest things can happen right under our noses.
So we can:
- During quarantine, do not lose contact with friends and acquaintances — regularly check how they are doing, stay in touch.
- Respond to bells in the behavior of familiar women — to a sudden “leaving the radar”, a changed behavior or manner of communication.
- Ask questions, even the most uncomfortable ones, and listen carefully to the answers, do not recoil or close the topic.
- Offer all possible assistance — money, contacts of specialists, temporary place of residence, things, services.
- Always call the police or react in another way when we become unwitting witnesses to violence (for example, at the neighbors).
And most importantly, never judge or give unsolicited advice. The injured woman is often so hard and ashamed, and she does not have the strength to defend herself from us.
1 1 Expressen. The corona crisis can trigger men’s violence against women, 29.03.2020.
2 Breeze. The corona crisis risks aggravating the situation for the children who are having the most difficulty. 22.03.2020.
3. Expressen. The corona crisis can trigger men’s violence against women, 29.03.2020.
4 Aftonbladet. The corona crisis is increasing violence against women and children. 22.03.2020.