Domestic Violence and COVID-19 Lockdowns: A Shadow Pandemic?

Abstract

This and the next chapter review the wider repercussions of the COVID-19 lockdowns in Europe in the context of domestic violence (DV) where couples and families had to spend their entire days with each other. Individual stress levels were exacerbated by fears of unemployment, health concerns and worries about societal changes. Media reports and experts predicted a massive increase of domestic violence occurrence plus concerns about access to victim services.

Using their working connections to law enforcement agencies, victim and health service in the eight participating countries, IMPRODOVA researchers assembled available data collections, expert opinions and other sources to demonstrate the lockdown effects on domestic violence incidence. A table demonstrates increases, stagnation and decreases in different frontline responder categories.

Violence occurrence during lockdowns and associated risk factors can be identified on an individual level, for example, mental health and money problems; on an organisational level, for example, on the part of medical practitioners dealing with domestic violence victims; and on a wider societal level. These are explicated in the third chapter.