Interpersonal Violence during COVID-19 Quarantines

The quarantines imposed due to COVID-19 can constitute a risk of danger for domestic violence victims. People, who previously suffered from intimate partner violence, are under the risk of mental health and physical health.

Intimate partner violence is defined as being physically or sexually assaulted, emotionally abused and being stalked. Covid-19 is changing the intra-family dynamics of individuals; imposition of strict rules to contain and manage this crisis with an unknown ending in sight can cause some critical issues and tensions within the family.

Victims of intimate partner violence are forced to stay with their violent partners all day long, away from help, during the quarantines imposed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This situation increases the risk of domestic homicides, suicides, or aberrant behaviors toward children.

When psychiatric disorders are combined with substance addiction and parental problems, the possibility of inflicting and sustaining domestic violence increases, while parental problems make it difficult to meet the needs of children. Aggression that occurs due to senses of disappointment and agitation leads to an intergenerational transfer of trauma and violence.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, people have experienced being helpless in the face of an invisible and dark enemy. The appearance of COVID-19 in particular entails remote consultation and psychological support services for the efforts to manage crises and prevent the acts of domestic violence and abuse.

REFERENCES:
Mazza, M., Marano, G., Lai, C., Janiri, L., & Sani, G. (2020). DANGER IN DANGER: INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE DURING COVID-19 QUARANTINE. Psychiatry Research, 113046. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113046