Domestic Violence (during COVID-19)
- Joséphine Hengstwerth
- Apr 15, 2020
- 1 min read
We define domestic abuse as an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence, in the majority of cases by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer. It is very common. In the vast majority of cases it is experienced by women and is perpetrated by men.
Domestic abuse can include, but is not limited to, the following:
Coercive control (a pattern of intimidation, degradation, isolation and control with the use or threat of physical or sexual violence)
Psychological and/or emotional abuse
Physical or sexual abuse
Financial or economic abuse
Harassment and stalking
Online or digital abuse
Due to the Coronavirus lockdown victims are forced to be isolated with their perpetrator who might be increasingly aggravated by the uncertain and chaotic situation. The UK’s largest domestic abuse charity “Refuge” reported a 700% increase in helpline calls from domestic abuse victims in one single day.
As a response hotel chains have offered to give shelter to women and children in their accommodation and £2m are used to support domestic violence support and helplines.
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