Duelling pandemics: the exacerbation of intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 crisis in Canada
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Abstract
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a dangerous threat to public health worldwide, forcing states to implement unprecedented virus containment measures. While these measures may have protected people from the virus, they inadvertently amplified yet another epidemic that many have been battling for years: intimate partner violence. This influx in violence has spread in conjunction with the virus, threatening the human rights of victims/survivors around the world. This paper examines the exacerbation of intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Specifically, it analyzes the pandemic-related risk factors contributing to an increase in violence, as well as the factors preventing victims/survivors from seeking help. Data was collected through secondary sources including academic journals, reports from organizations serving victims/survivors of intimate partner violence, and news reports. Results indicate that a myriad of factors such as a crisis situation, financial insecurity, social isolation, stress, and alcohol consumption have converged during the pandemic to contribute to an increase in violence. Furthermore, other factors such as shelter-in-place orders, mobility restrictions, the reduction and closure of services, and the virus itself have simultaneously prevented victims/survivors from seeking help. In conclusion, I provide short-term strategies to address intimate partner violence during the current crisis and long-term strategies to address intimate partner violence after the pandemic, and into the future.