Due to the Corona virus outbreak, many people are being forced to shelter in place with those they live with. This is an issue, because the women who live with abusive partners are now stuck in the house with no other option than to face the abuse. Now more than ever is a time to educate yourself and those around you about domestic violence and violence against women.

In the last few weeks, calls to the Domestic Violence Hotline and visits to the National Domestic Violence website have shot up astronomically. This increased traffic is a huge call for help. Volunteers in these organizations are doing as much as they can to help, but their numbers are short compared to those of the victims. Not only is this a time period of increased violence, the women being abused are facing even worse mental health conditions. Being forced to stay inside while the world seems to start to end is tough, and with abuse on top of that, life is impossible to live. 

One woman was strangled by her partner, due to his fear that she had caught the corona virus.

I feel like he will lock me out if I leave for work. My husband won’t let me leave the house.

This woman’s case is not rare in times like these. When there is a natural disaster or a pandemic, abuse victims fear for their life.

This increase in violence had been predicted as soon as word of a possible indefinite lockdown got around. Officials knew that anyone in an abusive situation would face horrors that they had yet to learn. But there was little anyone could do to prevent it, and that is still somewhat the case. The longer people continue to go out with their friends and party, the longer helpless women are stuck in these situations. 

Now, some may look at the statistics of crime and notice that it has gone down a bit since quarantine began. Though this is the case, domestic violence is still a crime, and the numbers for that have gone up. By educating people on this topic and spreading awareness, society would become more aware of the detrimental effects of this type of abuse.

Luckily, for those who may be in need, some people are providing a safe space. Going around Instagram is a post that states something along the lines of: if you are a victim of abuse and are in need of shelter, please contact me. The way Instagram users are safely doing this is by disguising the plea by having the victim send something such as “can i borrow your makeup.” This is a great tactic, because the abuser will not be suspicious and the victim will end up safe. Hidden messages are a great way to help victims, as long as both the victim and the helper are both aware of what the message truly means.

Works cited:

Jagannathan, Meera. “’It’s Not Safe to Leave the House, and It’s Not Safe to Stay in the House.’ How Coronavirus Could Exacerbate Domestic Violence.” MarketWatch, MarketWatch, 5 Apr. 2020, www.marketwatch.com/story/its-not-safe-to-leave-the-house-and-its-not-safe-to-stay-in-the-house-how-coronavirus-could-exacerbate-domestic-violence-2020-03-20.