|
 
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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2022 | Volume
: 5
| Issue : 1 | Page : 1-2 |
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Domestic violence during COVID-19 pandemic: An issue that needs comprehensive attention and intervention
Zainab Alimoradi1, Chung-Ying Lin2, Amir H Pakpour3
1 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
2 Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
3 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran; Department of Nursing, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden, Europe
| Date of Submission | 15-Jan-2022 |
| Date of Acceptance | 15-Feb-2022 |
| Date of Web Publication | 25-Feb-2022 |
Correspondence Address:
Amir H Pakpour
Department of Nursing, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden, Europe.
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/shb.shb_32_22
How to cite this article:
Alimoradi Z, Lin CY, Pakpour AH. Domestic violence during COVID-19 pandemic: An issue that needs comprehensive attention and intervention. Asian J Soc Health Behav 2022;5:1-2 |
How to cite this URL:
Alimoradi Z, Lin CY, Pakpour AH. Domestic violence during COVID-19 pandemic: An issue that needs comprehensive attention and intervention. Asian J Soc Health Behav [serial online] 2022 [cited 2022 Jun 25];5:1-2. Available from: http://www.healthandbehavior.com/text.asp?2022/5/1/1/338379 |
Elimination of violence against women is an important public health issue[1] and has been included as one key goal in the Sustainable Development Program.[2] Worldwide, 30% of women experience physical or sexual violence by their partner during their lifetime.[3] Such violence is possibly be increased during crises, including pandemics and natural disasters.[4],[5],[6] At present, the prevalence of COVID-19 is one of the emerging global challenges in the management of infectious diseases that endanger international public health.[7] The spread of infectious diseases not only affects the physical health of patients but also the mental health and well-being of noninfected people. Moreover, the threatening prevalence of new infectious diseases can increase anxiety, depression, and stress in the general population, especially when the new infectious disease is unpredictable and the governments have uncertainty about how to control the disease. The findings show that a high prevalence of mental health problems was associated with the prevalence of COVID-19.[8] At a time when current treatment for COVID-19 worldwide is primarily focused on infection control, effective vaccination, and accelerating the treatment, the psychosocial aspects and the impacts of these conditions on different psychosocial aspects of individual, family, and life need further attention.[9],[10]
As the virus continues to spread globally, it brings with it new stresses, including physical and mental health risks, isolation and loneliness, closure of many schools and businesses, economic vulnerabilities, and job losses. In addition, children and their mothers are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence. Domestic violence refers to a wide range of violations that occur indoors.[11] Domestic violence (including intimate partner violence, child abuse, and adult abuse) and sexual violence can increase during and after major disasters or crises.[4],[5],[6] Like the previous epidemics including Ebola and Zika,[12] the COVID-19 pandemic can exacerbate domestic violence by changing individual, social, and economic living conditions.[13] Home quarantine policies have been widely used to reduce the prevalence of the COVID-19 virus, with an estimated at least 3 billion people worldwide staying at home[14] and 142 countries enforcing stay-at-home requirements.[15] These policies have raised a number of concerns, particularly about their impact on developing countries and gender equality. Researchers and international organizations have argued that policies to stay at home increase violence against women.[4],[16],[17] Recent studies have shown that sexual violence (partner) has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.[18],[19] In addition to women, children may also be exposed to parental violence.[20]
Given the current situation, health policymakers, health-care providers, and economic and social actors need to address the issue of domestic violence screening. Accordingly, the design and implementation of immediate action on reducing domestic violence are urgently needed. Addressing the dangers of violence that threaten women and children during the pavilion and related constraints is one of the important issues that must be addressed in an effort to contain the pandemic.
| References | |  |
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