Domestic Abuse
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The rapid spread of the new coronavirus forced many people to hunker down inside their homes, with others fighting for survival against abusers.

COVID-19 swept through the world in four months, leading many countries to release lockdown orders to their citizens. The recent movement restrictions, which are aimed to curb the spread of the virus, were found to be related to an increase in violence in homes---more frequent, more brutal, more fatal.

A recent data compilation showed domestic abuse cases flourish in the environment created by the global pandemic. The data suggest abuse should be considered a public health crisis as the number of cases rises each day.

Marianne Hester, a sociologist for Bristol University, said the mounting abuse reports were expected to come along with the restrictions imposed by the government. According to her, domestic abuse cases see a surge when families spend more time together, especially during holidays and summer vacations.

'A Call for Help'

The National Domestic Violence Hotline received 25% more calls and pleas for help than they usually would. The charity said it received more calls last week than the number of calls two weeks earlier.

Experts also say the pressure on other services, as well as ongoing awareness campaigns, may have contributed to the increase of frequency in abuse.

In the United States, authorities said a victim called to report that her husband threatened to kick her out of the house if she so much as coughed. Another abuse victim said her partner strangled her. A third caller, a man, said his girlfriend refused to give him cleaning products to sanitize himself.

Crystal Justice, the chief marketing and developer officer at the National Domestic Violence Hotline, said most abusers threatened their victims with COVID-19 to gain control and power over their victims further. The virus has also impacted the survivors' ability to access necessary support, such as shelters and counseling.

State and local governments are scrambling to address the issue that experts believe should have been taken into consideration.

The United Nations also called governments to address the surge of domestic violence cases worldwide.

'Help Me'

Various organizations created secure chat and hotline services where abuse victims could call for help without leaving a trace in their browser history.

Safe Chat is a web-based, one-on-one chat session where victims can freely share their experience on violence, crime, and abuse. Health experts will be available for a free consultation, after which they will present options the victim can take.

The website has an escape button that immediately closes the page and erases it from the browser history.

If you know someone who is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 512-453-8117. You can also call at 1-800-799-7233.

Victims may access a safe and secure live chat that is available 24/7 by clicking here.

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