The pandemic has made life difficult for people in many ways. From kids not meeting friends and parents putting too much stress on them to the immense challenges that first responders like nurses. Doctors and other medical professionals face, living during a pandemic has been quite a challenge for all people. One particular group who has not only suffered during this time but seen their already troubled lives made worse are those who suffer from domestic violence.

According to MedlinePlus, a government health website, “Domestic violence is a type of abuse” that can include “the abuse of a spouse or partner.” The site goes on to state that domestic violence can also be “the abuse of a child, older relative, or other family members.” The abuse that these people suffer from includes physical violence, sexual violence, emotional or economic abuse, and even stalking. 

Domestic violence has increased during the pandemic. Megan L. Evans, M.D., M.P.H., Margo Lindauer, J.D., and Maureen E. Farrell, M.D. from The New England Journal of Medicine, reported that many states thought there would be an increase in domestic violence due to the quarantines. However, they found that while  “Domestic-violence hotlines prepared for an increase in demand for services as states enforced these mandates, [but] many organizations experienced the opposite.” This seems to show that while there may actually have been an increase in domestic violence incidents, they were not being reported.

Evans, Lindauer, and Farrell also reported that  “In some regions, the number of calls dropped by more than 50%. Experts in the field knew that rates of IPV [Intimate Partner Violence] had not decreased, but rather that victims were unable to safely connect with services.”

As for why abusers do it, domestic violence might occur in many different ways such as the abuser may feel the need to control their partner because of low-self esteem, extreme jealousy, they can’t control emotions, or when they feel inferior to the partner in education, and socioeconomic background, according to PsychCentral

PsychCental states, “A partner’s domination may take the form of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Studies suggest that violent behavior often is caused by an interaction of situational and individual factors. That means that abusers learn violent behavior from their family, people in their community, and other cultural influences as they grow up. They may have seen violence often or they may have been victims themselves. Some abusers acknowledge growing up having been abused as a child.” This is important to understand because the abuser might learn from the family member and think that it is a normal thing to do since they grew up with it. Other factors include the use of alcohol or drugs, which may contribute to violent behavior, but that still doesn’t excuse the behavior.

One of the most important things to do regarding domestic violence is to be aware of it. People usually don’t know how they can help because they don’t know who to go to or who to ask for help. When you see or think you see domestic violence, the first thing you should do, according to MedlinePlus, is let them know that they are not to blame for the abuse, that the person abusing them is. Of course, if that person is in immediate danger you should immediately call 911.  After this, it is important for those who need help to be aware of the resources that can help them in their local area, including what number to call if they are concerned about domestic violence.