In an online survey of 15,000 Australian women conducted in May 2020, 4.6% reported physical or sexual violence from a current/former partner in the three months prior to the survey. In the same time period, 5.8% were subject to coercive control from their partners. Yet what stood out from the study was that over two thirds of the women who experienced physical/sexual violence said that the violence had either started or escalated at the same time as the onset of the COVID 19 Pandemic and the subsequent lockdown regulations.
Let’s explore this trend further.
Upon taking a deeper look at this, this correlation is not solely confined to Australia. An article from The Guardian reports a worldwide spike in domestic violence rates, with Brazil seeing a rise of 40-50% in domestic violence incidents upon the outbreak of the Pandemic. In Spain, a spike in calls to helplines by 20–30% was reported within the first few days of an introduced confinement period.
This leads us to pose the question of whether there is a correlation between the pandemic and the increased rates of domestic violence. From the evidence, it is almost undeniable that it is the case.
Firstly, the onset of the Pandemic inevitably led to home lockdowns where families were legally required to remain inside the home mostly. Due to physical restrictions, governments are forced to lock down the economy, creating a work-at-home population. When we consider the idea that “when families spend more time together, violence may occur … a dynamic that can be attributed to human psychology” (Booth 2017; Nofziger and Kurtz 2005), this seems to provide an explanation for the spike in rates.
Further, the Pandemic has undeniably caused economic distress, with events such as layoffs jeopardising the financial situations of many households. Following this, it would be logical to assume that the Pandemic raised stress levels among many couples. When we consider that couples with high stress levels are estimated to be 3.5 times more likely to experience domestic violence than low stress couples, we see a clear reason for the jump in domestic violence rates.
There appears to be a direct correlation between the COVID-19 Pandemic and rates of domestic violence across the world, and if you or a loved one are victims of domestic violence, it is important that you obtain both medical and legal advice. Call us on (02) 8999 9809 to find out more.