The ‘Shadow Pandemic’: Domestic and Family Violence During COVID-19

Abstract

AbstractSince the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, advocates, policy makers, scholars and media commentators have sought to understand the impact that the global health emergency and associated public health restrictions have had, and will continue to have, on the prevalence of domestic and family violence (DFV) worldwide. For much of 2020, commentary was anticipatory in nature with data emerging towards the end of the first year of the pandemic. However, the picture remains unclear—with some countries reporting increases in prevalence while others report a decline in reporting of violence throughout this period. This chapter examines evidence on what is known quantitively about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on experiences of DFV at global and country-specific levels. To do so, it focuses on what is known about the prevalence of domestic family violence and femicide.