Domestic Violence: The virus that spreads at home
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, countries all around the world have gone in and out of lockdown. Though social mobility restrictions help reduce the spread of COVID-19, for some women and children, these movement restrictions exposed them to another type of virus, domestic violence.
What constitutes domestic violence? Domestic violence is a behavioral pattern of violence, abuse, or intimidation used to control or maintain power over the individual within the household. The Power and Control Wheel developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Programme (DAIP) in Duluth, Minnesota, identifies 8 different tactics (e.g., emotional and economic abuse) which the perpetrator uses to achieve dominance over the victim together with physical and sexual violence.
Before the pandemic, data has shown that 1 in 3 women globally experience physical or sexual violence by a partner. This number is likely to be underreported because victims of abuse are less likely to come forward. After the pandemic, The UN has reported an increase of 20-30% of calls related to domestic violence, calling it “The Shadow Pandemic.” In Malaysia, the Women’s Aid Organization (WAO), an NGO dedicated to ending domestic violence against women, reported a shocking increase of 118% of cases since the pandemic. Though domestic violence tends to increase when a country faces periods of crisis due to health and financial stressors, Covid-19 has caused a greater impact as lockdown restrictions cause victims to be isolated from resources for support.
This heartbreaking documentary “Survivors Speak Up” by WAO unveils the truth behind the domestic violence data points. The video showcases 3 brave sexual violence survivors in Malaysia, one of which was linked to the sentencing of Jamaluddin Ali in 2017. Though the video can be triggering, for those unaware of the severe impact domestic violence can bring, I urge you to watch and share this video with your community to drive greater awareness. The documentary shows firsthand how hard it is for abuse victims to take the first step of acknowledging the abuse and making the difficult decision to leave the perpetrator and seek help. Once the victim has taken this first step, it is vital that all of us play a crucial role in supporting their rehabilitation. Though the domestic violence act makes this abuse a crime, effective enforcement and support are needed to ensure victims are swiftly protected, and the cycle of violence is broken.
With the highly transmissible delta variant, Malaysia has been under a prolonged lockdown from June 2021. Though some lockdown restrictions have started to ease due to the increase in vaccination rates, it will take time before social mobility will return to normal. As such, it is expected that domestic violence levels will remain heightened in the near future. These abusive relationships may be happening to our own family and friends. We can do our part by ensuring to be aware of the situation in the households of our loved ones. To reach out, listen, and provide resources for support. If you know anyone in need of urgent help and is based in Malaysia, one resource you can direct them to is the WAO Hotline at 03 3000 8858 or SMS/WhatsApp TINA at +6018 988 8058. If you are seeking help for someone not in Malaysia, see here for other country’s national helplines.
Domestic Violence is a violation of human rights and we must stand up against it.