This article is written by Andreea Bocaneala, communication advisor for a woman MP in Romania and Apolitical Insider Fellow and edited by Yvonne Rinkart, Apolitical Insider Fellow.

Imagine the following situation. It is March 2020. The authorities in your country declare a state of emergency and everybody has to stay home as much as possible. You follow the rules to protect yourself from infection with the new coronavirus; you stay home and you feel safe.

I think most of us can relate to this situation. But what happens when home is not the safest place for you to be? What happens when a violent or abusive partner is always by your side?

Domestic violence is a global problem. One in three women and girls around the world experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Even so, according to a report issued by UN Women, less than 40% of victims report the crimes or seek any kind of help, most often due to the perceived impunity of the wrongdoers, shame, fear, lack of support networks or other gender inequalities.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the subject of intimate partner violence has gained a more prominent spot on the agenda, as the number of reported cases of violence or abuse increased and officials from several international organisations – World Health Organisation, United Nations and European Union – made recommendations to protect victims. Moreover, the cases of abuse not only increased, but first responders had to deal with different abusive situations in the context of the pandemic. I chose to write about domestic abuse not only because it is a complex public health issue that became even more complicated during this global health crisis, but because it has to be a priority for any government that wants to achieve sustainable economic growth and a good life for the people.

A problem that became more visible during the pandemic

The magnitude of the problem of domestic abuse became more visible or indeed grew during the pandemic, as the reported cases increased in many countries. For instance, in France, domestic violence cases increased by 30% and in Argentina, Cyprus and Singapore, the number of calls for domestic violence have also increased by 25-30% since the beginning of lockdown.

All these situations affect victims in very serious ways, even when others do not realise it. Interrupting contact with friends or family during such hard times may lead to increased stress levels, increased uncertainty, losses of self-confidence and so on

We might think that these numbers are a result of the pandemic, but that’s not necessarily the whole truth. Some argue that these numbers are just a result of some existing behaviours that are now more visible, because people – perpetrators and victims – are permanently together.

What can be done

Despite the challenging situation, important steps have been taken to support those people who suffer from domestic abuse. Since we don’t know how the pandemic will evolve and there are  concerns about a second wave, it is important to know what we can do to protect the victims.

1. Raise awareness

During the pandemic, abuse may take other forms in addition to physical violence. When face-to-face meetings with other people were almost impossible and keeping in touch via phone, text messages or the Internet was essential, there were situations when perpetrators restricted the access to those devices to the victims or when they prevented them from leaving the house, cutting them off from social contact.

All these situations affect victims in very serious ways, even when others do not realise it. Interrupting contact with friends or family during such hard times may lead to increased stress levels, increased uncertainty, losses of self-confidence and so on. All these are not so obvious from outside, as we can’t see the bruises, or at least not on short term. This is why public servants should keep in mind that information sessions and awareness actions are essential for the victims and for people who can act to support the victims – such as family, friends and co-workers.

2. Ensure support systems remain open

Another important thing to keep in mind when it comes to dealing with intimate partner abuse, especially during crises when the attention of public servants is pulled in many different directions, is to keep the existing communication lines with the victims open and to create even more ways of reaching out. This is because it is important for victims to be able to reach the authorities or any other person that could help them in any possible way, without exposing themselves to any additional risk.

Another good practice for seeking help during the lockdown without gaining attention is to set up a code through which victims could ask for help in pharmacies

Many countries have already increased or established new social services for victims of violence or abuse. This includes hotlines or online counselling and, most importantly, shelters where the victims can be accommodated in safe conditions. In France, for example, the authorities allocated funds to pay for hotel rooms for the victims who need shelter, as the number of violence cases increased.

Another good practice for seeking help during the lockdown without gaining attention is to set up a code through which victims could ask for help in pharmacies, for example, such a word already exists in United Kingdom for preventing sexual abuse in bars or restaurants — if women feel unsafe, they can simply go to the bar and ask for “Angela”. Another series of solutions come from partnerships between public, private and NGO sectors – the apps that allow victims to report and document the abuse.

3. Work with abusers to prevent violence

Dr. Hans Kluge, the Regional Director for Europe of the World Health Organisation, stated that “violence is preventable not inevitable.” It is important to analyse and understand the causes of violence, in order to prevent it. In many situations of violence that took place during the lockdown, the stress level was a trigger for the violent or abuse behaviour that already existed, but had been controlled up until that point. Stress can be provoked by the uncertainty, unemployment or any other situation one can imagine, and developing a system that helps people deal with such situations is a key to help preventing acts of violence in the future.

Next steps to prepare for the future

The pandemic has shown us the real face and magnitude of domestic violence and urged us to find solutions to protect the people. We have to learn from this experience and to keep the good outcomes not only to be prepared for a second wave of virus spread, but to be able to address this problem with all the means we have in the rest of the time.

The measures taken in such a short time are the proof that we have the capability to find solutions to a constant and pressing problem, when we treat it with the importance it deserves. Too many women and children suffer from this form of violation of women’s rights and human rights. Domestic violence has to stop and we can stop it now. — Andreea Bocaneala

(Picture credit: Unsplash)