COVID-19 and Domestic Violence in Australia

Written By WIIS Australia
www.stopsexualviolence.com

By Ash Layton

[Author's note: unless otherwise stated, statistical evidence in this article has been taken from reports published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Full reports are listed below. Infographics are sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.]

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are widespread, diverse and indiscriminate, affecting the world on both micro and macro levels. Many natural environments are thriving, while economies are crashing and bringing about recessions not witnessed since the Great Depression. The effects of the pandemic are much less severe within Australia than they are elsewhere in the world. However, those effects, albeit less overt than the horrors of overcrowded hospital wings, mass unmarked graves and respirator shortages, are still just as dangerous and unfortunately just as ubiquitous. Our intimate relationships and social interactions have been drastically altered, perhaps irrevocably. Not only does this transformation bring about new challenges, but it exacerbates existing social inequalities and vulnerabilities based on a range of factors including gender, ethnicity, race, disability, age, etc. This is particularly evident for instances of domestic violence (DV) in Australia.

DV includes any kind of violent, abusive and/or intimidating act carried out between individuals who were or are in an intimate relationship. These acts can include physical and sexual assault, verbal and emotional abuse, financial manipulation, technologically-facilitated abuse, stalking, image-based abuse, reproductive coercion, social and spiritual abuse and post-separation violence. See here for more on these categorisations

In Australia, between the years of 2016-2017, 17 adults a day were hospitalised as a result of violence from a partner or family member. DV has long dominated the private lives of many Australians. However, its prevalence has typically been matched with a lack of visibility, recognition and reparation. Awareness of these issues has increased in recent years, though there is a lot of progress still to be made. Statistically, there is an overwhelming gap between the experiences of men and women, particularly indigenous Australian women. According to a report published by the Australian Institute of Criminology, one woman is murdered in Australia by her partner every nine days, compared to one man every 29 days. Moreover, one in every five women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15, compared to one in every 20 men.

Research conducted between 2000 and 2004 showed that, for indigenous females, around half of hospitalisations for assault were directly related to family violence. Furthermore, assault against indigenous women is almost 10 times more likely to be fatal than non-indigenous women. In digesting this, it is imperative that we acknowledge that, while the above-mentioned numbers are staggering, there are many cases that go unreported, in both indigenous and non-indigenous communities.

In the midst of this global pandemic, it is crucial to examine these existing dangers (disproportionately experienced by women) within the context of current social distancing measures. ‘Stay Inside’ is a phrase with which we are all now undoubtedly familiar. However, for survivors of DV, those words are felt with a much more profound resonance. Self-isolation has exponentially increased the vulnerability of survivors of DV. In many instances, they are now in lockdown with their abusers, unable to escape an increasingly unsafe environment.

According to NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman, Google search results for DV in Australia have increased by 75% since the first reported case of COVID-19. Alarmingly enough, this has been met with a decrease in calls to support hotlines (predominantly in multicultural communities with higher migrant populations). Survivors of DV are now more at risk because of lockdown measures, particularly those from migrant communities that may not have substantive support networks in Australia. Furthermore, restrictions on movement make it even more difficult for women and children living in these environments to get help or even simply a moment of repose. Existing research has shown that DV leads to feelings of isolation among survivors. Moreover, rates of abuse and violence tend to peak during crises. So, just as abuse exacerbates isolation, isolation exacerbates abuse.

Financial stress (heightened by increased unemployment) is a huge risk factor for incidents of DV. According to a recent study from the Australian Bureau of Statistics entitled ‘Business Impacts of COVID-19’, two-thirds of Australian businesses recorded depreciation in cash flow or turnover as a direct result of COVID-19, and nearly half have made changes to their workforce arrangements for the same reason. These added pressures could result in a spike in DV cases nationwide. While many women are aware of the early warning signs or preventative measures and support services, the issue now is how to escape a violent and abusive environment given the widespread financial burden compounded by lockdown measures.

On a global scale, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), along with its partners Johns Hopkins University (US) and Victoria University (Aus), has assumed a 20% increase in DV for every 3-month period of lockdown among the 193 UN member states. The UNFPA has also predicted that tens of millions of women worldwide will be unable to access contraception and abortions this year, the effects of which will continue to be felt until at least 2030. According to research published in 2019 by the Australia New Zealand Journal of Public Health, one in six women in Australia has had an abortion by their mid-30s. Research has also shown that women with lower levels of control over their reproductive health (often survivors of DV) are more likely to have abortions. Given that it was only last year that all states in Australia legalised abortion (NSW being the last to do so), some fear that the effects of COVID-19 may lead many to revert back to unsafe abortions. Alternatively, women may be forced to carry unwanted pregnancies to term. With the increased financial demand on the government to provide aid in order to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, some organisations that provide help for those seeking abortions fear that their ability to do so may also be jeopardised by a lack of funding.

As we all attempt to navigate the new reality necessitated by COVID-19, we must also acknowledge the existing vulnerabilities that it has intensified. Data being released on the effects of COVID-19 predicts a challenging decade to come for women and highlights the current (and previous) difficulties women face. Flattening the curve is crucial to overcoming the pandemic. However, the variegated effects of measures employed to do so must not be overlooked. In order to effectively rebuild, these differences must be identified and addressed according to their specific needs, otherwise, the legacies of COVID-19 response efforts may cause further calamity.

For further information:

To access Australian support services and hotlines:


WIIS Australia
Previous

How the Coronavirus is impacting those experiencing domestic violence
Next

Reflections on FGM and Culture: #EndFGM 2020