How Coronavirus Quarantining Could Lead To An Increase In Domestic Violence
Written by Elly Belle, Published on Refinery 29.com on March 18th 2020
This article is about the ways why and how domestic violence is likely to increase during the period of quarantine due to COVID-19.
“on average, approximately 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States” and “nearly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with severe impacts”
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
While Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline explains that they don’t necessarily expect to see new cases of domestic violence during this period of quarantine, the lack of options to escape make the frequency of violent interactions much higher.
“those confined with an abuser in close quarters for long periods of time, such as the holidays, actually call into hotlines less, because they aren’t able to find a safe space to reach out from”
– Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline
Ray-Jones also explains that negative financial situations or where there is additional stress in a home, there is a higher frequency of incidence of abuse, as well as an increase in the severity of abuse.
Often, Ray-Jones explains, the ability to go to work or have a partner go to work provides relief from abuse which many do not have right now.
A handful of organizations are working to continue to provide resources to those experiencing abuse of all kinds. These support systems come in the form of: “financial resources, shelters to go to, legal protections, domestic violence and child custody resources, transitional housing resources, legal expertise, and emotional tools” (Belle).
Additionally, the article points out that partner abuse can happen differently in a LGTBQ relationship versus a heterosexual one.
Lastly, the article offers a way to donate directly to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, which I personally think is pretty incredible.