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Topic Name:
Domestic violence
Submitted by:
Shweta Sharma
(MBA) First Year
Jankidevi Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Santacruz, Mumbai.
1. INTRODUCTION
Domestic violence is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. Domestic violence is often used as a synonym for intimate partner violence, which is committed by one of the people in an intimate relationship against the other person, and can take place in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships or between former spouses or partners. In its broadest sense, domestic violence also involves violence against children, parents, or the elderly. Globally, the victims of domestic violence are overwhelmingly women, and women tend to experience more severe forms of violence. They are also likelier than men to use intimate partner violence in self-defense. In some countries, domestic violence may be seen as justified or legally permitted, particularly in cases of actual or suspected infidelity on the part of the woman. Research has established that there exists a direct and significant correlation between a country’s level of gender equality and rates of domestic violence, where countries with less gender equality experience higher rates of domestic violence. Domestic violence is among the most underreported crimes worldwide for both men and women. In addition, due to social stigmas regarding male victimization, men who are victims of domestic violence face an increased likelihood of being overlooked by healthcare providers.
Additionally, domestic violence often happens in the context of forced or child marriages.
In abusive relationships, there may be a cycle of abuse during which tensions rise and an act of violence is committed, followed by a period of reconciliation and calm. The victims may be trapped in domestically violent situations through isolation, power and control, traumatic bonding to the abuser, cultural acceptance, lack of financial resources, fear, and shame, or to protect children.
2. OBJECTIVE
A Study on Domestic Violence in covid-19.
3. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
3.1 COVID-19 pandemic and violence: rising risks and decreasing urgent care-seeking for sexual assault and domestic violence survivors
The objective of this study was to examine the changes in emergency department admissions for sexual assault and domestic violence since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.
The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced considerable societal changes that have heightened the risk for violence and decreased opportunities to access care. Within our study, all-cause ED admissions reduced by over 30%, and sexual assault and physical assault cases presenting for care decreased by approximately 50%. Trends in care seeking and assault patterns will require monitoring over time, and evidence is needed to inform the provision of adequate support for individuals experiencing violence. This is particularly important as cities and countries begin to slowly re-open services and businesses—the negative consequence of quarantine and isolation on violence may become apparent months after the main concern for COVID-19 transmission is reduced.
Observational ED admissions data from The Ottawa Hospital were analyzed from March 4 to May 5 in 2020 and compared to the same period in 2018 Total and mean weekly admissions were calculated for all-cause ED admissions and for sexual and domestic violence cases.
Compared to pre-COVID-19, total ED admissions dropped by 1111.22 cases per week and the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Program cases dropped 4.66 cases per week.
3.2 Perception of Women with Lived Experience of Domestic Violence and Abuse on the Involvement of the Dental Team in Supporting Adult Patients with Lived Experience of Domestic Abuse in England: A Pilot Study
Domestic violence and abuse experienced by women is increasingly becoming a global health problem. However, with the World Health Assembly in 1996 declaring violence against women a public health issue , and the resultant increase in evidence from empirical research highlighting the public health impact of domestic violence on women, e.g., , global regulations and conventions have been enacted to end domestic violence and abuse against women and girls .
Therefore, in addition to domestic violence and abuse against women being identified as a violation of human rights , many of the published work has explored and situated the health impact of the abuse on women as the foremost negative impact of the violence and abuse
While there is existing evidence highlighting the important roles of health care professionals and the health care system in supporting patients with lived experience of domestic violence and abuse, there is a dearth of knowledge on the perception of dental patients on the involvement of the dental team, as health care professionals, in supporting adult patients experiencing domestic abuse. Results from this pilot study show that patients want to be asked about their experience of domestic abuse. Evidence from this pilot study contributes to the existing knowledge on the need to raise awareness among the patient population with lived experience of DVA that the dental team can support them. In addition, there is a need for on-going training to enhance the capacity of the dental team for appropriately supporting their adult patients with lived experience of DVA.
3.3 COVID-19 and the Increase in Domestic Violence
Has COVID-19 caused a disaster within a disaster? While many were focused on saving the lives of those stricken by the virus, other were being killed by their intimate partners. What happens when there is nowhere to run? How can one reach out for help, when everyone they would have reached out to is also isolated? How can one find out if they’re being abused, if the resources they used to have access to have been depleted? Once the jobs are taken away, homes; internet; cell phones; cars and the like are soon to follow. What happens when one loses their identity as they know it? Depression and a lack of self-control become more visible, where they once were able to be hidden. When there is a lack of self-control and a lack of resources to help sustain self-control, some seek to address mounting issues the best way they know how. And, as we’ve seen in past circumstances, sometimes their best just isn’t good enough.
3.4 The Influence of Gender Stereotypes on the Growth of Gender Inequality and Domestic Violence in Russia in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed profound vulnerabilities concerning the state of women and exacerbated the current issues of gender discrimination. Today, discrimination has become obvious, and, to a certain degree, the state has recognised its prevalence in the labour market as well as in the areas of political activities and career advancement. However, existence of gender discrimination is still negated when it comes to issues of violence against women and reproductive rights. In general, the measures that have been implemented that aim to reduce women’s vulnerability are fragmentary and inadequate.
The present article is concerned with the influence of gender stereotypes on gender inequality and violence against women in modern Russia as well as the response of government institutions and civil society organisations to domestic violence incidents under lockdown. Conclusions on the role of stereotypes in the growth of inequality during the COVID-19 pandemic are based on findings of the research carried out by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) and the Institute of Socio-Economic Studies of Population of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed profound vulnerabilities concerning the state of women and exacerbated the current issues of gender discrimination. Today, discrimination has become obvious, and, to a certain degree, the state has recognised its prevalence in the labour market as well as in the areas of political activities and career advancement. However, existence of gender discrimination is still negated when it comes to issues of violence against women and reproductive rights. In general, the measures that have been implemented that aim to reduce women’s vulnerability are fragmentary and inadequate.
3.5 Dentists’ Competence and Knowledge on Domestic Violence and How to Improve It—A Review
Domestic violence (DV) is an important public health topic with a high prevalence in society. Dentists are also frontline responders to DV, as they not only treat victims of DV with dental injuries, but they can also screen for the presence of DV because they see patients for regular check-ups. Using the WHO definition, which describes domestic violence as intimate partner violence, 17 papers could be included in our analyses. The results of this review clearly indicated that although dentists, as members of the health care sector, are important frontline responders to DV, they are neither trained adequately at medical school nor do most feel competent enough to ask victims about DV or support them as needed. DV is often not taught at dentistry schools at all. The aims of this review were to provide an overview of existing literature on dentists’ knowledge and beliefs regarding DV, whether and how DV is taught in medical education and to give recommendations on how to improve the education of dentists on this topic. Based on our findings, we recommend that DV education should be mandatory at dentistry schools and in further training for dentists with a focus on communication with victims, how DV can be identified and how to support victims well.
To conclude, although the number of DV victims with dental injuries in dental practices is not high, knowing that one in three women suffer from DV clearly indicates that many victims go undetected. In this sense, the low rate of screening questions for new dental patients, especially when signs of facial injury are present, is of concern and clearly supports our call for formal training on DV.
3.6 Mental health solutions for domestic violence victims amid COVID-19: a review of the literature
Domestic violence is a global health crisis, with some statistics showing that one in every three individuals worldwide will experience domestic violence in some form. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic violence cases have grown exponentially worldwide, especially violence against women. Domestic violence is a public health crisis. It affects both women and men, and it could interrupt generations of people’s aims, aspirations, or ambitions, undermine their chance at a violence-free life. COVID-19 both amplified and introduced mental health challenges domestic violence victims face, many thanks to the human and economic consequences the pandemic inflamed. However, there is a lack of mental health interventions tailored to domestic violence victims in the COVID-19 context. In this study, we identified practical and multidisciplinary interventions that can be effectively adopted and applied to address the mental health challenges domestic violence victims face amid, and possibly beyond, the current pandemic. Future research could explore additional practical solutions to alleviate the many health burdens domestic violence victims shoulder. Overall, domestic violence victims need more resources and help to no longer suffer in silence, in pain, alone, or afraid during the current and future pandemics.
Domestic violence is a public health crisis that affects all demographics and could result in significant morbidity and mortality. In addition to emphasizing mental health challenges faced by domestic violence victims, multidisciplinary interventions are identified that could provide timely and practical solutions to domestic violence victims amid the pandemic, which range from tailored shelter home strategies, education programs, escape plans
3.7 Domestic Violence and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh
Domestic violence refers to violence that takes place in intimate relationships or when there is a relationship between the violence survivor and the perpetrator. Although domestic violence is a universal problem, sociocultural influences and the portrayal of domestic violence in the media characterize its local pattern and define the acceptance, expression, and explanation of the problem. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, more than 70% of married women in Bangladesh have reported at least 1 physical or sexual violence incident in their conjugal life. Second, during a crisis situation, survivors of gender-based violence are often deprived of ample legal support, and as a result, the perpetrators remain unpunished. Third, the absence of scrutiny from the outside world during a pandemic can distort the power balance at home, which can result in violence and abuse .
The United Nations Fund for Population Activities reported at least a 20% increase in the incidence of violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in 193 member states of the United Nations . Domestic violence has resulted in long-term psychological trauma and impacts in addition to physical injuries and economic harassment. There has been an exponential rise in the prevalence of mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation, among women who have experienced violence. Further, as the prevalence of violence against women increases, the need for mental health care also increases. Moreover, there is a bidirectional relationship between mental health and gender-based violence. The prevalence of domestic violence has been increasing in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 crisis, and this crisis will persist for a few more months or years. As such, mental health burden resulting from domestic violence will rise in prevalence. We need a multilayered holistic plan for supporting and providing cost-effective, high-quality mental health support for domestic violence survivors.
3.8 COVID-19 and Domestic Violence in Pakistan: An Analysis of the Media Perspective
The analysis of the newspaper articles indicates that women were portrayed as passive and voiceless individuals who lack agency. The analysis of the newspaper articles demonstrated that women were reported as trapped inside their homes as a result of the lockdown, often with the perpetuators of DV and unable to escape violence. Women were depicted as scared and vulnerable due to their inability to leave their homes due to the fear of COVID-19 infection and closure of offices. The analysis in this paper also demonstrated that though the newspaper articles had raised the issue of DV in reference to the lockdowns, the messages conveyed through the media were masculine, hegemonic, and reduced the very existence of women as subjects of abuse and neglect.
The discourses used in the newspaper articles were biased and conveyed the meaning that women are voiceless and lack agency. Taking a feminist lens in this paper allows us to argue that women can always resist not necessarily by openly defying but through subtle acts of negotiation. We think there is need for the media to present narratives of those women who have been able to negotiate and resist. The Pakistani laws give equal rights to both men and women irrespective of their gender, class, and religious affiliations.
Further research is needed to understand the cultural dynamics that restrict women from reporting DV. We need to know why women are unable or unwilling to reach out to the authorities through the helplines. Fulfilling the basic needs of women workers during a pandemic may also reduce cases related to DV. Women engaged in small business and low-paid work could be supported through paid leave.
3.9 Domestic Violence against Women and COVID-19
Previous research found an association between cases of gender-based violence and crises, with inequity worsening during such periods. Evidence shows an increase in sexual violence and harassment against women when individuals attempt to procure necessary needs during a crisis, such as food, water, and firewood. It was found that one of the main reasons that domestic violence increases during a virus outbreak is the breakdown and reformation of laws, which includes the implementation of lockdowns. Research focusing on the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic violence is still developing. Research suggests that intimate partner violence increased in previous disasters, for example, during the Earthquake in Haiti in 2007, during the tsunami in Asia in 2004, and during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 . Specifically, after the tsunami in Sri Lanka, violence against women and sexual abuse were proven to have an increase in cases .
Furthermore, crisis situations and domestic violence against women are interlinked due to the many effects and circumstances that occur in people’s lives either externally or internally. Existing evidence supports that COVID-19 has also led to an increase in intimate partner violence, especially towards women , or has at least made it more common .
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, authorities, governments, and various organizations have begun to warn the public about the possible impacts it will have on areas such as domestic violence .
3.10 Domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons to be learned
Pandemics such as the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) have a significant impact on individuals, families, and countries alike. People have to deal with the consequences of the infection as well as the precautionary measures taken to contain the infection such as isolation, social distancing, and restriction on movements. Domestic violence (DV) is a gender-based violence that happens at homes and usually involves the spouse or partner or other family members. Due to the current pandemic and the ensuing lockdown, DV has posed a major challenge for frontline mental health professionals. The UN Women has reported increased rates of violence against women and children during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is difficult to measure the point prevalence due to restrictions, both in accessing help and in reporting. Women have reported difficulty in help seeking, while professionals have reported difficulties in assessment, service delivery, and in linking women to appropriate services. This article explores the possible mechanisms behind DV during COVID-19, its manifestations, difficulties in providing help during this pandemic, and recommendations for health professionals and mental health service providers. It also discusses the challenges in data gathering and research and provides recommendations for various stakeholders to address DV in future pandemics.
4. Conclusion:
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines, have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified. This is the Shadow Pandemic growing amidst the COVID-19 crisis and we need a global collective effort to stop it. As COVID-19 cases continue to strain health services, essential services, such as domestic violence shelters and helplines, have reached capacity. More needs to be done to prioritize addressing violence against women in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Domestic violence has a major impact on the general health and wellbeing of individuals. It is because it causes physical injury, anxiety, depression. Moreover, it also impairs social skills and increases the likelihood that they will participate in practices harmful to their health, like self-harm or substance abuse.
5. REFERENCES:
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