Fact-Checked Source:

Mélissa Godin, "As Cities Around the World Go on Lockdown, Victims of Domestic Violence Look for a Way Out"

Looking Deeper: Five Facts Checked

Making sure the data actually supports the claims. 

In the United States, where 5,218 people have been infected

This may have been true on 3/18/2020 however as of 4/25/2020 there have been 938,154 confirmed cases in the US according to the COVID-19 Dashboard by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering  at Johns Hopkins University.

From Europe to Asia, millions of people have been placed under lockdown

According to multiple news sources including CNN and the New Yorker this number as of 4/25/2020 is in the billions. 

One out of three women in the world experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime

This is true according to the World Health Organization. 

While men experience domestic violence, women make up the majority of victims, with LGBTQ individuals also facing elevated rates of domestic violence.

According to studies summarized by the University of California Los Angeles Williams Institute of Law. 

during times of crisis—such as natural disasters, wars, and epidemics—the risk of gender-based-violence escalates

This is true according to The World Health Organization however they admit that the data is scarce. 

Analytic Essay

The perspective of those facing domestic abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is being combated with shelter in place orders across the globe. The solution seems simple enough, decrease contact with others to decrease the spread of the virus. However, unfortunately for some, this solution may do more harm than good. Many individuals are faced with the reality of living with an abuser, the mandated lockdowns only worsen their situation. Many news sources such as Time Magazine are highlighting stories of abuse cases during this time while police departments and help lines observe increases in the number of calls about domestic violence they recieve. The COVID-19 outbreak increases domestic violence and takes away important resources from victims(Godin, 2020). This makes it important to better understand the perspective of those sheltering in place with an abuser so that governments as well as communities can better help these individuals and so that researchers can better understand all of the negative impacts a pandemic like the COVID-19 pandemic can have. 

As the number of those infected with COVID-19 increases, the lockdowns become stricter, and the number of domestic violence cases increase rapidly. Mélissa Godin, author of the Time Magazine article “As Cities Around the World Go on Lockdown, Victims of Domestic Violence Look for a Way Out”, uses China, a country who has already experienced their peak of COVID-19 cases, as an example of how COVID-19 impacts the number of domestic violence cases. According to Godin, in February 2020 China witnessed triple the number of cases compared to the past year. In the US, police departments are seeing as much as a 20% increase in the number of calls they get(Kingkade, 2020). Research studies done in the past show that during times of natural disasters domestic violence does indeed increase(Aten et al., 2020). Directors of domestic violence hotlines agree that the shelter in place order has put victims of domestic violence in an even more difficult situation(Goodman, 2020). Interviews with those who work for these hotlines give insight into why this is the case. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken away important resources from victims of domestic violence such as outlets to escape their abuser, ways to become financially independent, and access to medical help. For many victims, the lockdowns mean a loss of access to their social networks and jobs. These act not only as outlets to have contact with others but also as a way to possibly gain financial independence, often a first step in escaping an abuser (Godin, 2020). There have also been domestic violence shelters that have had to close their doors due to COVID-19 concerns(Goodman, 2020).Godin interviewed Katie Ray-Jones, the CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, who states that she has received calls saying that some abusers are even “withholding financial resources or medical assistance” during this time. This medical assistance may be for COVID-19  related issues but there are also struggles with the ability for individuals to seek medical care for injuries related to abuse. Katie Ray-Jones tells a story of a caller whose partner

strangled her tonight. While talking to her, it sounded like she has some really serious injuries. She is scared to go to the ER due to fear around catching COVID-19

Jones goes on to talk about psychologically why domestic violence rates are so high. This is partially due to some choosing to take out the lack of control they feel during these overwhelming times on others through abuse(Time). For domestic violence victims, a lack of contact outside of the house, lack of income, and lack of medical care brings about an especially scary and uncertain time. There are certain facts that they need to know to help their situation. 

When faced with being quarantined with an abuser there are many important facts to stay updated on. Some of these include general info on the pandemic that the public needs such as when quarantines are ending. Other important information, which has been shared through multiple news outlets, is numbers to call or text, places to go, and websites to visit if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence. News sources such as NBC, Time, and Democracy Now are posting hotline numbers and websites, such as those for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. An individual can call or visit these sites to simply talk with someone about their situation or get help finding a  place to go during this time. 

The COVID-19 virus has increased domestic violence and taken away resources from victims putting many in incredibly difficult situations while quarantined. Listening to the stories of those who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, are dealing with violence in the home is incredibly important. The public, government, researchers, etc. need to understand the perspective of domestic violence victims during this time to be able to help victims as best they can and truly understand all of the harmful impacts this virus has. Not only do victims need help now, but with future pandemics and natural disasters it is important to know how to prepare to help individuals in the future.

References

Aten, J. (2020, March 24). Domestic Violence When You Can't Leave Home. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hope-resilience/202003/domestic-violence-when-you-cant-leave-home

The author of this article, Dr. Jamie Aten, specializes in trauma due to disaster studies and psychology. He is the founder and director of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute. The article is co-authored by Dr. Tammy Schultz who specializes in counseling sexual violence and another psychologist Dr. Adam Dell. This source’s main goal is to give tips to those struggling during this time with domestic violence and tips to others on how to help survivors of domestic violence. However, I believe the most beneficial part of this article to the perspective are the three studies mentioned which link natural disasters to increased intimate partner violence. This article along with the included studies give an outsider, doctors or scientists some of whom may be directly dealing with victims during  this time, others who are not’s, perspective on why we are seeing increasing rates of domestic violence. The article blames the lack of support outlets, 24/7 proximity to the abuser, and higher levels of stress on the increase in the severity and frequency of domestic violence incidents during a pandemic. 

 

Godin, M. (2020, March 18). How Coronavirus Is Affecting Victims of Domestic Violence. Retrieved from https://time.com/5803887/coronavirus-domestic-violence-victims/

Time is a popular magazine and Mélissa Godin is a regular reporter for them. This article starts off with stories from those who work for domestic violence hotlines about different abuse situations going on during the pandemic. Some abusers have turned to withholding medical aid and financial assistance while others have threatened to throw their partners out on the streets if they begin coughing. This article uses these stories and statistics, such as the reported cases of domestic violence in China during forced lockdown compared to previous years, to emphasize their claim that domestic violence is a greater problem when lockdowns are in place. The article also brings up the point that in some areas the number of cases may not be increasing but victims lose access to friends, school, work, etc. all helpful resources. The actual stories from real cases occurring during the pandemic give a good idea of the victim’s perspective in this article. 

 

Goodman, A. (2020, March 27). When Home Isn't Safe: Shelter-in-Place Is Putting Domestic Violence Survivors in a "Dire Situation". Retrieved from https://www.democracynow.org/2020/3/27/domestic_violence_coronavirus_katie_ray_jones

This source is an interview conducted by an independent news source Democracy Now! The interview is between reporter Amy Goodman and Chief Executive officer of the National Domestic Violence Hotline and loveisrespect Katie Ray-Jones. Ray-Jones goes on to tell stories of calls the hotline has gotten where individuals are using the mandatory quarantines as reasons to forcefully lock their partners or family in the house, some threatening with violence such as the use of firearms. Katie Ray-Jones elaborates on more stories and also talks about the loss of support outlets for survivors of domestic violence due to the shelter in place orders. This interview aims to bring light to how domestic violence has escalated amidst the pandemic as well as share advice for those who may be suffering. With the stories from those calling in to seek help, this interview gives good evidence of the perspective of interest. 

 

Kingkade, T. (2020, April 5). Police see rise in domestic violence calls amid coronavirus lockdown. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/police-see-rise-domestic-violence-calls-amid-coronavirus-lockdown-n1176151

The National Broadcasting Company is a popular public news source. The author is a reporter based in LA presenting the perspectives of local police and domestic violence shelter owners who are first hand witnessing the impact COVID-19 is having on the lives of those in abusive homes. The main purpose of the article is to inform the public of the fact that many around them are now in unsafe situations due to the pandemic, talk about what is being done to make the situation better, as well as inform individuals who may be in this situation about how they can seek help. The article uses data reported by police agencies as well as interviews with police officers and owners of domestic violence shelters and hotlines to support their claim that domestic violence cases have increased amidst the pandemic. I consider this a good source of the perspective of interest because of the interviews with members of the police force and owners of domestic violence shelters and hotlines who are witnessing these cases. It is incredibly difficult to find first account stories of individuals in these situations most likely due to safety concerns, so I consider the opinions and stories of those witnessing the cases and speaking directly with the victims to be good evidence of the victim’s perspective.