There has been a worrying spike in cases of domestic violence, in the wake of lockdown measures implemented globally in response to the pandemic. Article 19 correspondent Devika Dinesh writes on this issue.
Wikipedia defines domestic violence as “violence or other abuse in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation.” For many, home might be a space of safety and love. However, for many others, this lockdown has meant that they have been forced into close quarters with their abusers, cut off from any system of social support that they may have had earlier.
This pandemic is a stressful time for all, and abusers tend to take out their frustration on those closest to them. The abuse can range from verbal to emotional to physical, including sexual. The most vulnerable groups are women, children and LGBTQIA+ individuals. In the Hubei Province of China, where the pandemic first broke out, it has been found that cases of domestic violence increased by three times—from 47 cases last year to 162 this year. In some European Union countries, reports rose by a third. Brazil, Tunisia and Australia, among others, have reported similar trends.
Digitized by Aparna Venkittan
Unsurprisingly, in India too, the National Commission for Women has reported an increase in complaints filed. Besides, the fact that domestic violence is grossly underreported in our country means that the ground reality could be a lot worse. The prevalent social stigma against divorcees, and the related ostracization, make exiting abusive relationships difficult or even non-viable.
Sexual minorities are similarly in danger. The LGBTQIA+ community faces a lack of acceptance in modern Indian society, where the decriminalization of homosexual sex—for long considered “against the order of nature”—is a recent development. LGBTQIA+ youth are especially vulnerable to increased abuse at the hands of family who do not accept their sexual or gender identity.
Child abuse is also at an alarming high in the era of COVID. Accurate statistics for household child abuse are difficult to obtain, as children may not know what abuse is or how to report it. However, a recent study by the BBC shows that attempts to access websites containing child abuse content have shot up during the pandemic. A particularly worrying trend has been discovered in the Philippines, where child trafficking rings have been live-streaming videos of child abuse to paying customers. If this is any indication of the increased appetite for violence amongst offenders, the situation within abusive households could be much worse.
Even before the pandemic, adequate mechanisms to intervene and protect victims have not been in place, and access to these has been further mediated by different types of inequalities. One-stop crisis centers, that came into being post-Nirbhaya, have to be classified as essential services, and need to be better equipped. A 2019 study of 11 one-stop crisis centers in Maharashtra found that many of them lack necessary infrastructure and trained staff. Allowing NGOs to manage these resources could lead to greater efficiency.
Furthermore, hotlines need to be made more efficient and responsive, free and accessible online counseling must be ensured, and more victim shelter facilities ought to be established. The governments of Italy, Spain and France have announced that hotel rooms could be used as victim shelters, so that social distancing could be maintained. Such measures would ensure that the survivors do not have to choose between abuse and the virus if they decide to reach out to NGOs or the police.
Local police should also be trained to spot abusive households. Many women do not trust police stations, and believe that complaining will only worsen their situation. Even as the public health system is in tremendous stress, medical help could be made accessible to the survivors by involving private players. Anxiety and depression, a fallout of the pandemic, take a devastating toll on members of abusive households. This is where free and accessible online counselling becomes a necessity.
These are trying times. Though systems are extremely important, at the end of the day, it is equally essential that individuals take responsibility. If you are aware of domestic abuse taking place in your household or neighborhood, reach out to the victim and support them in getting help. Even otherwise, stay informed and educate others. In these desperate times, it is solidarity that shall get us to the end of the tunnel.
Edited by Swathi C S
The National Commission for Women has launched a helpline WhatsApp number—7217735372—for domestic violence complaints.
References:
- Mak, S. (2020, April 6). China’s Hidden Epidemic: Domestic Violence. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://thediplomat.com/2020/04/chinas-hidden-epidemic-domestic-violence/
- European Parliament, Press Release. (2020, April 7). COVID-19: Stopping the rise in domestic violence during lockdown. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200406IPR76610/covid-19-stopping-the-rise-in-domestic-violence-during-lockdown
- Thomson, M. (2020, May 29). Online child abuse rising during lockdown. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52773344
- Taub, A. (2020, April 7). A new COVID-19 crisis: Domestic abuse rises worldwide. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://indianexpress.com/article/world/coronavirus-domestic-abuse-violence-lockdown-6351643/lite/
- Raghavan, P. (2020, April 30). Covid fight: Govt system in front, private hospitals do the distancing. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://indianexpress.com/article/india/coronavirus-covid-19-private-hospitals-6385631/
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