Domestic Violence
“Some people who flood others with their distasteful criticisms ironically cannot handle even just a drop of their own medicine”
Countries that have introduced lockdown measures during COVID-19, have seen a marked rise in domestic violence. As men are staying at home more than usual, and women and children who are subjected to domestic violence cannot escape. As authorities across the region struggle to contain the pandemic through curfews and lockdowns, few have thought of the knock-on effects. For many women, more time at home means more physical abuse from family members. Millions around the world have been forced into isolation in the effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. But lockdowns have resulted in increased incidents of domestic violence, as victims are forced into close quarters with their abusers.
Increases in domestic violence have been reported across the world since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. China, Spain, Germany, France, Canada and Australia are among the countries where the number of reports has grown. However, the decrease in calls did not signify a decrease in violence: It merely meant that some victims were not able to call hotlines without being detected by their abusers because of the quarantine measures.
People across Asia are staying indoors during national lockdowns to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Though the measures are yielding positive results, it is a dangerous scenario for women who face domestic violence.
"Over the past weeks, as the economic and social pressures and fear have grown, we have seen a horrifying surge in domestic violence," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently said. In some countries, he added, "the number of women calling support services has doubled."
In more typical circumstances, support provided by governmental and nongovernmental organizations is available to women who face domestic violence; however, there is considerably less access to such resources during lockdowns. With restrictions on mobility, women are often unable to leave their homes to find safety with friends or extended family.
As the nation grapples with the spread of COVID-19, People are being told to go home and stay there, for their safety and everyone else’s. But for victims and survivors of domestic violence, including children exposed to it, being home may not be a safe option — and the unprecedented stress of the pandemic could breed unsafety in homes where violence may not have been an issue before. Now, experts worry that all these numbers could increase dramatically during this period of social distancing and quarantine.
At the same time, shelters are closing or under-resourced, emergency rooms are full and people don’t want to go out in public and risk getting COVID-19. “The things people use in their safety plan are no longer available, which leaves survivors trapped in an escalating cycle of tension, power and control.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has had an unwavering impact on the increasing rate of domestic violence. Activists around the world already feared this would happen and the global lockdown has unfortunately proven that hypothesis correct. Following the imposed quarantine, there is substantial uncertainty about job security, other financial complications and the sheer stress caused by social isolation, which in turn can result in women and children being at the receiving end of risk of domestic violence against women and children. It is also important to emphasize here that domestic violence can be perpetrated against both male and female victims. However, across the globe, we have seen an alarming rise in the cases of violence against women. The severity of the issue has propelled some governments to prescribe laws and policies for women who are being abused by male partners inside their households during the COVID-19 quarantine period.
In Pakistan, where a crime like domestic violence is still primarily a taboo subject and something that is not necessarily understood as a bad thing (due to various reasons like patriarchal structures, lack of self-awareness, lack of sex-education, flawed religious beliefs that allow violence against women, lack of women’s financial independence and lack of institutional support), it is foolish to believe that the actual frequency at which violence is being perpetrated inside the homes can ever be uncovered or reported.
What makes it worse is that there are just not enough regulated women shelters and help centers that women who are experiencing such an ordeal can reach out to. Additionally, in this case, leaving the house may simply also mean contracting the virus and suffering medically.
In my opinion, another way to help would be for governments to provide packages for women doing unpaid work inside the homes as a stipend or allowance to make them more financially independent. However, I am also aware of the current economical stance of our country and providing allowances that are gender-focused is probably not financially viable as money for complete families is needed for their survival. However, making a policy around this kind of a scheme is what needs to be implemented in the future to secure all citizens in emergency situations.
Now, with families in lockdown worldwide, hotlines are lighting up with abuse reports, leaving governments trying to address a crisis that experts say they should have seen coming.
The United Nations called on Sunday for urgent action to combat the worldwide surge in domestic violence. “I urge all governments to put women’s safety first as they respond to the pandemic,” Secretary General António Guterres wrote on Twitter.
But governments largely failed to prepare for the way the new public health measures would create opportunities for abusers to terrorize their victims. Now, many are scrambling to offer services to those at risk.
But, as with the response to the virus itself, the delays mean that irreparable harm may already have occurred.
In addition to physical violence, which is not present in every abusive relationship, common tools of abuse include isolation from friends, family and employment; constant surveillance; strict, detailed rules for behavior; and restrictions on access to such basic necessities as food, clothing and sanitary facilities.
The isolation has also shattered support networks, making it far more difficult for victims to get help or escape. Institutions that are supposed to protect women from domestic violence, many weak and underfunded to begin with, are now straining to respond to the increased demand. So, the government said local authorities could requisition hotel rooms to serve as makeshift shelters where victims could quarantine safely. It also said victims could “disregard orders to stay at home if they need to seek immediate refuge.”
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