Rutland Herald: Living in fear

This is what the Rutland Herald had to say about a rise in domestic violence cases throughout the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic:

No one should live in fear of an intimate partner or family member. And yet it is a daily occurrence for thousands of Vermonters.

We do not need studies or data to confirm what is happening in our little state. Every day, there are news releases announcing fresh arrests for domestic violence or violent crimes. Every day.

For sure, COVID has added to our stressors. We all feel the fatigue of the pandemic. You don’t have to go any farther than social media to see how many ways our society is bubbling over.

Researchers at the University of California-Davis analyzed data from the earliest days of the pandemic, and the results were indisputable.

In a UCD article by Karen Nikos-Rose, she writes, “While COVID-19-related lockdowns may have decreased the spread of a deadly virus, they appear to have created an ideal environment for increased domestic violence. Extra stress in the COVID-19 pandemic caused by income loss, and lack of ability to pay for housing and food has exacerbated the often silent epidemic of intimate partner violence.

The data suggests more services and communication are needed so that even front-line health and food bank workers, for example — rather than only social workers, doctors and therapists — can spot the signs and ask clients questions about potential intimate partner violence, or lead victims to resources, Nikos-Rose writes.

“The pandemic, like other kinds of disasters, exacerbates the social and livelihood stresses and circumstances that we know lead to intimate partner violence,” said Clare Cannon, assistant professor of social and environmental justice in the Department of Human Ecology and the lead author of the study. She told Nikos-Rose that increased social isolation during COVID-19 has created an environment where victims and aggressors, or potential aggressors in a relationship, cannot easily separate themselves from each other. The extra stress also can cause mental health issues, increasing individuals’ perceived stress and reactions to stress through violence and other means.

“Compounding these stressors, those fleeing abuse may not have a place to get away from abusive partners,” Cannon was quoted as saying.

It has only gotten worse over the length of the pandemic.

Intimate partner violence is defined as physical, emotional, psychological or economic abuse and stalking or sexual harm by a current or former partner or spouse, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Crime statistics indicate that 16% of homicides are perpetrated by a partner. Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says 25% of women and 10% of men experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime.

Researchers said their findings show a need for more communication resources for families — potentially coming from government and nongovernment sources of support and information. By increasing public awareness of resources available to the broader community, community members, trusted friends, neighbors and family members may be better able to connect those affected by domestic violence with resources, such as shelters, treatment intervention programs and therapeutic professionals such as social workers, therapists and others, the researchers stated in the study.

We are fortunate that living in a smaller state we have local resources. But they need more support. They need more attention straight away.

Because it is happening here in Vermont, just the same as everywhere else.

According to Global Citizen, a nonprofit that monitors such issues, domestic violence rates are increasing in developing and developed countries alike during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of domestic violence incidents in the United States increased by 8.1% after lockdown orders, according to analysis released by the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice earlier this year. It is likely higher today.

Early reports on domestic violence only relied on police reports, but NCCCJ’s analysis drew data from police call logs, domestic violence crime reports, emergency hotline registries, and health records. Every form of data showed overwhelming evidence of an increase in domestic violence.

According to the Global Citizen article, domestic violence often goes underreported because of shame and fear and is not always taken seriously by law enforcement. Lockdowns have also trapped more survivors with their abusers and made it more difficult to report incidents or have others intervene, creating what the United Nations is referring to as the “shadow pandemic” of violence against women.

The NCCCJ notes that most countries have failed to provide women with the social services and support they need to stay safe and recover from the pandemic.

This threat is real and present. We need to do something now, as local and state budgets are being formed. We must prioritize our understanding of this pandemic and its impact on domestic violence. And we must push for prevention and more services for survivors.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911, or call the state’s Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-228-7395; the Sexual Violence Hotline at 1-800-489-7273; or the Teen Dating Abuse Hotline at 1-866-331-9474.