THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AMONG MARRIED WOMEN IN TÜRKİYE

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused health, economic, social, and psychological problems in Türkiye as well as all over the world. It has been argued that economic hardship because of the pandemic, implemented pandemic restrictions such as lockdown and other social problems may increase domestic violence. The aim of this study is to investigate the exposure to violence of married women with children in Türkiye before and during the Covid-19 outbreak, their awareness of violence, knowledge about institutional mechanisms, and attitudes towards institutional mechanisms. The sample obtained by convenient sampling method consists of 324 married women between the ages of 23 and 60. Married women participated in the study by filling out the online questionnaire prepared in accordance with the purpose of the study. Domestic violence was evaluated together with different types of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence. In addition, in the study, women's awareness of the types of violence and the institutional mechanisms evaluated. According to the study results, it is seen that women's awareness of violence was high. In addition, it is determined that during the pandemic, 18.5% of women were exposed to physical violence, 51.5% to psychological violence and 25% to economic violence. However, it is reported that women are less exposed to all types of violence during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period.