Abstract
Prior to the COVID-19 global pandemic, domestic and family violence (DFV) had been recognised globally as an epidemic in its own right. Further, research has established that during times of crisis and/or after disasters, rates of DFV can escalate. The COVID-19 pandemic has been no exception, with emerging research from around the world confirming that the public health measures and social effects associated with COVID-19 have increased the frequency and severity of DFV in various countries. In contributing to this evolving body of literature, this paper reports on the findings of a national research project that examined the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on DFV in Australia. This nationwide survey of service providers indicates the public health responses to COVID-19 such as lockdowns and travel restrictions, while necessary to stem the pandemic, have had profound effects on increasing women’s risk and vulnerability to domestic violence, while at the same time making it more difficult for women to leave violent relationships and access support. However, this vulnerability is not evenly distributed. The pandemic pushed marginalised voices further underground, with many unable to seek help, locked down with their abuser. Our survey sought to amplify the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities; Indigenous communities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, + (LGBTIQ+) communities; women locked down with school-age children; those already in violent relationships; and those whose first experience of domestic violence coincided with the onset of the pandemic. For logistical and ethical reasons, we could only access their voices through the responses from the domestic violence sector.
Highlights
Domestic and family violence (DFV) has long been recognised as a global epidemic
The primary research questions explored in this study were, ‘Has the COVID-19 pandemic increased the complexity of client needs? And if so, how?’ While these questions could be researched in a number of ways, the research team adopted a survey strategy to maximise data collected
The survey responses indicate that specific socio-demographic groups were being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
Domestic and family violence (DFV) has long been recognised as a global epidemic. The World Health Organization (WHO 2021) estimates that almost that one-third (or 30%) of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by their intimate partner in their lifetime and that ‘globally as many as 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners’ (para. 6). Domestic violence is a gendered issue with women being disproportionately over-represented as victims/survivors, and men overwhelmingly represented as perpetrators (Mlanbo-Ngcuka, 2020; WHO 2021). This is not to deny that women can be perpetrators, that men can be victims, or that domestic violence occurs in same-sex relationships (e.g., see Taylor, Fraser and Riggs 2017). State and territory governments introduced lockdowns and restrictions on travel. While this is a justifiable public health measure, it enhanced the risk of DFV (Boxall, Morgan and Brown 2020), an already significant public health and human rights issue. Despite recent improvements made in policy reform (e.g., see the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence: Victorian Government 2015; Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland 2015), domestic violence persists as a significant social problem, with no end in sight
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