Domestic violence and mental health during COVID‐19

Abstract

The United Nations described violence against women and girls during the global outbreak of COVID‐19 as a ‘shadow pandemic’; perpetrators were said to have ‘weaponised’ national measures and restrictions, exacerbating domestic abuse. However, evidence for the prevalence of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) during COVID‐19 and its impact on the mental health of victim‐survivors is limited by the extent to which it was measured by research studies and the quality of methods that could be feasibly implemented. This review reports what is currently known about global DVA prevalence during the pandemic and its impact on mental health. It summarises key guidance for clinicians assessing patients during periods of social distancing and proposes recommendations for the ‘new normal’ and future pandemics.