(337) The Impact of COVID-19 Related Restrictions on the Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence in the Republic of Armenia

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV), which is domestic abuse committed by an intimate partner, is the most prevalent type of violence against women. Growing evidence shows that the incidence of IPV has increased since the application of COVID-19 related restrictive measures. Evidence from past pandemics and crises has revealed that the most common factors that increase the risk for violence include economic insecurity, poverty-related stress, job loss or reduced working hours, quarantine, and social isolation. Objective This research aimed to identify the impact of COVID-19 related restrictive measures on the prevalence of IPV during the pandemic in the Republic of Armenia. Methods This study was an online cross-sectional survey conducted as part of the second round of the International Sexual Health and Reproductive Health (I-SHARE), a series of surveys conducted in more than 30 countries to study sexual and reproductive health during COVID-19 measures. The instrument consists of 14 sections of which only the IPV section was used for this analysis. In order to be eligible for the study the participants had to be 18 years of age or older, currently reside in the Republic of Armenia, speak Armenian, and be able to provide informed consent online. The data collection was conducted during a 4-week period (from 22 October until 20 November 2021). Results Overall 296 people participated in this study of which 196 (66.2%) were female at the time of birth. 14% of the respondents were physically abused by their partner at least once during the last three months. Meanwhile 13% of the respondents were sexually assaulted many times of which 72.4% were also physically abused during the same period. 30% and 33% of people who were physically and sexually abused, respectively, began to experience more violence after COVID 19 restrictions. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the incidence and prevalence of IPV as a result of COVID-19 related restrictive measures in the Republic of Armenia. It is worth noting that approximately one third of the people who were physically and/or sexually abused, began to experience more violence after the COVID-19 restrictions. Meanwhile, the situation with sexual and physical violence among the majority of people who are silent about violence has generally worsened since the restrictions of COVID-19. Disclosure No