Domestic Violence and the Pandemic

Domestic abuse helplines and shelters around the world are reporting an increase in pleas for assistance as more countries report infection and lockdown. The number of calls to helplines in Singapore and Cyprus has increased by more than 30%. In a poll conducted in New South Wales, 40% of frontline workers reported an increase in calls for assistance with violence that was intensifying.

The tension and pressure caused by security, health, and financial concerns are being exacerbated by confinement. It's also isolating women with violent partners, isolating them from the people and resources who can best assist them. Behind closed doors, it's a perfect storm for controlling, violent behavior. Domestic violence shelters are likewise exceeding capacity as health systems are stretched to breaking point, a service shortfall made worse when centers are converted for greater COVID-response.

Domestic abuse was already one of the most serious human rights breaches even before COVID-19. 243 million women and girls (aged 15-49) around the world have been sexually or physically abused by an intimate relationship in the previous 12 months. As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, this number is anticipated to rise, posing a threat to women's health, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, and ability to participate in and lead the recovery of our societies and economies.

Domestic and other types of violence have historically been under-reported, making response and data collection difficult, with less than 40% of women who experience abuse seeking help or reporting the crime. Less than 10% of women seeking assistance go to the police. Limitations on women's and girls' access to phones and helplines, as well as disrupted public services such as police, judiciary, and social services, make reporting even more difficult. These disruptions may also jeopardize survivors' access to care and support, such as clinical rape management and mental health and psychosocial support. They also contribute to the culprits' impunity. In many countries, the law is not on women's side; one out of every four countries is not on their side. These countries have no laws in particularly protecting women from domestic violence.

If not addressed, this shadow pandemic will exacerbate COVID-19's economic impact. Previously, the worldwide cost of violence against women was estimated to be at USD 1.5 trillion. As violence rises now and continues in the aftermath of the pandemic, that number can only rise.

The rise in violence against women requires immediate action, including measures included into economic support and stimulus packages that reflect the depth and scope of the problem and the needs of women who confront many types of discrimination.