Violence against women during covid-19 pandemic restrictions

As the covid-19 pandemic intensifies, its gendered effects have begun to gain attention. Though data are scarce, media coverage and reports from organisations that respond to violence against women reveal an alarming picture of increased reports of intimate partner violence during this outbreak, including partners using physical distancing measures to further isolate affected women from resources. 1 2 In Jianli County, Hubei province of China, a police department reported a tripling of domestic violence cases in February 2020 compared with February 2019, estimating that 90% were related to the covid-19 epidemic. In the UK, a project tracking violence against women noted that deaths from domestic abuse between 23 March and 12 April had more than doubled (to 16 deaths) compared with the average rate in the previous 10 years. ese reports are disturbing yet predictable. Globally, 30% of women experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Such violence can increase during humanitarian crises, including conflict and natural disasters. he gendered impacts of infectious disease epidemics are less understood and acknowledged.