Practice Note: Domestic Violence Advocacy and Response to Intimate Partner Homicide in the COVID-19 Era

Abstract

The global pandemic has changed how frontline service providers respond to domestic violence (DV). Advocates see an increase in the severity and complexity of DV cases, with COVID-19 complicating decisions of DV survivors to seek help. Domestic Violence High Risk Teams (DVHRT) include police, probation and parole officers, prosecutors, medical professionals, and DV advocates uniquely poised to respond collaboratively to increased DV case numbers and escalating risk of lethality for DV survivors. Adapting intervention and advocacy to the online sphere carries challenges but also opportunities to help DV survivors and their communities find safety.