The Increase in Domestic Violence Cases During the COVID-19 Pandemic

A Vicious Circle

Domestic violence has both increased and escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.N. has gone so far as to deem violence against women during this time a “shadow pandemic.” There are many reasons for this. Most countries are practicing social distancing, and many are under some form of lockdown or ‘stay at home’ orders. Under these circumstances, battered women cannot escape their abusers, even temporarily. Their abusers are now home, making it harder for them to reach out to helplines, the police, or family and friends. Even when these women are able to leave the house, social services are limited or inoperative, and public transportation is harder to come by. This means that progress is now on hold—even for women who have already taken the first steps toward seeking help, starting therapy, or engaging in legal proceedings.  

The financial burdens many families are facing have also increased stress, and in turn violence. Economic distress caused by financial strain and a lack of social support during the pandemic has fueled violence—even in families with no previous history of abuse. Social isolation is a prominent tactic used by abusers to distance victims from their support networks. Research shows that domestic abusers often use social isolation to distance victims from their support networks. Now that social isolation is not only government-sanctioned, but mandated, the rate of domestic violence has increased significantly.  Though some women are facing more challenges in accessing services, there’s still an increase in demand for shelters and other services, which in many places have been under-resourced, creating a backlog in shelters for battered women and children. In addition to increased demand, the pandemic has caused other difficulties for these shelters. Like other crowded institutions, shelters are concerned about an outbreak among residents staying in such close quarters. 

These issues affect all women suffering from domestic violence but have a disproportionately negative impact on those who are more discriminated against to begin with, due to their ethnicity, race, age, living situation and income. Migrant communities are particularly vulnerable. Lockdown orders have made it extremely difficult for them to return to their native countries. Combine this with dwindling job opportunities and immigrants are more likely to face abuse and not report the issue. Unemployment can increase the likelihood of domestic violence and migrant survivors may fear that law enforcement will report them to ICE, they may be more isolated and less aware of local resources, and they may face a language barrier. It is important to note that data about incidents of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic is limited, especially in regard to factors such as sex, gender and race. However, data from similar scenarios, such as natural disasters and the Great Recession, shows that women, particularly Native women, undocumented immigrant women, and other women of color, as well as LGBTQ people and disabled people, experience higher rates of domestic violence compared to the general population. 

Another obstacle for many women is that their access to technology is closely monitored and controlled. While many countries are currently offering online assistance while emergency hotlines and shelters are limited or closed, women of lower socio-economic status often do not have reliable access to the internet or even a computer or cellphone. For these reasons, many of them are not familiar with these types of online services because their information about the pandemic and social services is filtered through their abuser. This creates a vicious circle. ‘Stay at Home’ orders increase exposure to violence at home, while limited access to social services outside the home makes it harder to locate help. 

Some Facts and Stats

This unfortunate trend is notable on a global scale. In China, reports of domestic violence nearly doubled while cities were in lockdown. In Jianli County, for example, there were 162 reports of domestic violence in February of this year, more than triple the 47 reports in February of last year. According to one anti-domestic violence nonprofit in Jingzhou, the cause of 90% of domestic violence in China right now can be traced back to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under lockdown, for example, women are having a hard time obtaining the permits they now need to travel to another city. In Latin America, a region where almost 20 million women and girls are subject to sexual and physical violence each year, an increase in calls to helplines points to a rise in domestic abuse. In April, Argentina saw a 67% rise in calls for help compared to the same month last year, after a nationwide lockdown was ordered in March of 2020. In Mexico, calls to the police regarding domestic violence in March of 2020 increased by 25% over March of last year. In Columbia, daily calls to a national women’s hotline were up nearly 130% during the first 18 days of lockdown. In Sao Paulo, the Brazilian state hit hardest by the pandemic, sweeping isolation measures resulted in a 45% increase in cases of violence against women where police were dispatched. In other Latin American countries, such as Chile and Bolivia, there has been a drop in formal domestic violence complaints. However, this is likely not due to a decline in violence, but a result of women being less able to seek help or report abuse. In March, Lebanon experienced a 20% increase in calls to hotlines and women seeking shelter. Cyprus has registered a 30% increase in calls for help, while Singapore has registered a 33% increase as well. In the UK, calls related to domestic violence increased 25% within a week after strict social distancing and lockdown measures were enacted.

In the U.S., the National Domestic Violence Hotline has reported a similar surge in calls from victims. Portland has experienced a 22% increase in arrests related to domestic violence. In March, domestic violence calls in Jefferson County, Alabama increased 27% over March of last year. Similarly, New York City experienced a 10% increase in calls during the month of March. A recent study conducted in 14 large U.S. cities found that the pandemic had led to a 7.5% increase in calls for help during March, April and May of this year. The biggest increase occurred during the first five weeks of social distancing, when domestic violence calls were up 9.7%. This same study found that social distancing leads to a significant increase in calls from city blocks without a recent history of domestic violence calls. This suggests that the pandemic has led to new households placing calls.

So, What Can Be Done?

First, neighbors and communities play a critical role in helping victims who may not be able to report crimes themselves. Some advocates have even argued that bystanders must be encouraged to intervene and trained about domestic violence. Another possible solution, which has the potential to assist weakened communities and address intersectionality, is to provide marginalized communities with special assistance. This can be done by providing vulnerable communities with services and resources to help combat domestic violence. 

Countries should also fund services that support women experiencing violence. In Canada, for example, domestic violence shelters have remained open during lockdown, and 50 million Canadian dollars were transferred to shelters and sexual assault centers. Countries should also strengthen existing services and adapt them to current COVID restrictions. For instance, vacant hotels and educational institutions can be repurposed into shelters, as has been done in France. On top of ensuring that domestic violence programs and shelters receive sufficient funding, it is important that they are deemed essential during the pandemic or any future crisis. Access should be increased to comprehensive paid family and medical leave, sick leave, childcare, and unemployment insurance in the event that survivors need to leave their job.

Finally, we should all raise awareness about domestic violence, particularly violence against women and girls, through social media and other forms of communication. In Israel for example, as in many other countries, women have been holding large demonstrations in protest of violence against women, after reports of such violence became more frequent during the pandemic. As this truly is a “shadow pandemic,” women should be put at the center of policy change.

[Image featured: My husband and I at a demonstration in Israel. The sign reads “stop the murder of women” in Hebrew and in Arabic.]