Examining the Rise of Intimate Partner Violence during COVID-19: A Call to Action for Psychologists as Social Advocates

Abstract

The circumstances of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting confinement of persons culminated in political unrest, demonstrations for social justice, and increases in crime, including intimate partner violence. The pandemic gave intimate partner abusers free reign to monitor the activities, movements, and communications of domestic abuse survivors, restricting access to planning and implementing an escape route. This resulted in the need for psychologists to provide psychological services, some of which were restricted by the limitations of the pandemic. With psychologists providing this assistance, it appears clear that they are in a unique position to inform policy, political decisions, and social justice based on their training, clinical practice, and expertise in human behavior and human suffering. This paper addresses the need for psychologists as social advocates, arguing that they occupy a vital position in both treatment and research that enables them to represent those affected by intimate partner violence (IPV), as well as inform legislation on this issue.