Violence against Women and Children during the Pandemic

Anna Malakhouskaya | September 18th, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has been at the forefront of Canadian media outlets for months, discussing what public health efforts can be put in place to prevent the spread of the disease. However, little attention is being paid to a social epidemic that has emerged as a result of the lockdown measures imposed by the Canadian government to try and minimize the disease’s transmission. Since the beginning of the lockdown in early March, Canada's minister for women and gender equality estimates that there is “a 20 to 30 percent increase in rates of gender-based violence and domestic violence in some regions of the country”(1). Suggesting that the quarantine efforts put in place by the government, to save Canadian lives, have created unimaginable circumstances that perpetuate the use of violence against Canadian women and children.

Domestic violence has been a longstanding problem in Canada, however, according to statistics Canada, rates of “intimate partner violence declined by 12% between 2009-2018”(2). This decrease was in large part, due to increased education and resources such as helplines, centers, and shelters. Yet amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these facilities have been closed or are experiencing a demand that exceeds their capacity. This results in many Canadians being forced to remain in abusive households because there is nowhere else to go. With all public activities like schools and jobs being shut down, individuals who are at risk of experiencing violence are unable to leave the situation. These victims are stuck with their abusers for an extended period of time and the support systems usually in place are unavailable to them.

The implications of domestic violence are devastating for all victims, especially children who are at risk of incurring trauma that may result in lifelong damage. Family dynamics are at times difficult to manage, particularly in times of hardship, fear, and uncertainty, similar to those currently being experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. These heightened emotions mixed with strict lockdown measures have led to increased risks because “subjecting vulnerable children to nothing other than family contact for an extended period sets up perfect conditions for a safeguarding failure”(3). Without functioning safeguards such as access to teachers, counsellors, and social workers, these children in unstable households are put at significant risk of experiencing abuse.

The lockdown measures imposed by the Canadian government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are a necessary measure to ensure public safety. However, it is important to remember that the quarantine efforts did not only contribute to the world's overall boredom, but the lockdown is also posing an incredibly dangerous threat for many women and children. It is in these uncertain times of crisis, that we must take care of the most vulnerable and find ways to minimize the impact of domestic violence.

Endnotes

1. Raisa Patel, "Minister Says COVID-19 is Empowering Domestic Violence Abusers As Rates Rise in Parts of Canada," CBC, last modified April 26, 2020, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/domestic-violence-rates-rising-due-to-covid19-1.5545851.

2. "Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile, 2018," last modified December 12, 2019, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/191212/dq191212b-eng.htm.

3. Peter Green, "Risks to Children and Young People During Covid-19 Pandemic," The BMJ, last modified April 28, 2020, https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1669.