ANALYSIS OF CASES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DURING THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
ANALYSIS OF CA=
SES
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Karolayne Brito Silva[1]
* Kaio Germano Sousa da Silva[2]
* Mayanny da Silva Lima[3]
* Eduardo Brito da Silva[4]
* Cristina Soares Oliveira[5]
* Luana Pereira Ibiapina Coêlho[6]
* Danielle Carvalho Rocha[7]
* Rondinelle dos Santos Chaves[8]
* Lícia Raquel Castro dos Santos[9]
* Raquel Ferreira Coelho[10]
* Laellya Larhanna =
Lima
Santos Gonçalves[11]
* Bruna Rafaelle Pereira Ibiapina Coêlho[12]
* Maria Eduarda Leal de Carvalho Santos[13]
* Pedro Henrique Medeiros de Andrade[14]
* Valéria Bandeira Leal[15]
ABSTRACT<=
span
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font=
-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language:KO'>
Keywords: Social Isolation;&n=
bsp;Covid-19; Domestic
Violence; Aggression; Murder.
Objective: Analyze, based on a literature review, the increase in cases=
of
femicide in the context of the covid-19 pandemic. Methods: Bibliographic st=
udy
of the integrative literature review type, which took place in the Virtual
Health Library (BVS), Latin American Literature, the Caribbean in Health
Sciences (LILACS), and PubMed. Result: 12 complete publications were select=
ed
to support results and conclusion, only publications available in their
entirety were included, published in the years 2020 to 2021, in Portuguese,=
English,
and Spanish. The included studies highlighted that most of the aggressions =
are
perpetrated by the victims' spouse or ex-partners, as a result, the domestic
space in social isolation is undoubtedly the locus for the occurrence of
domestic violence against women and femicide. Final considerations: It
identifies the need to expand specific actions on the prevention of violence
against women and femicide, and verify the need to strengthen the assistance
networks for women who have been raped. All of the above strategies are val=
id
and complement each other <=
/b>
Keywords: Social
Isolation; Covid-19; Domestic Violence; Wounds and
Injuries; Homicide.
INTRODUCTION
Violence against women is a global public health
problem and also represents a violation of human rights, negatively affecti=
ng
the physical, emotional, and reproductive health of victims.
Although the evidence linking the incidence of cas=
es
of violence against women with the social isolation imposed by the covid-19
pandemic is incipient, reports from international organizations allude that
there has been an increase in cases of domestic violence and
femicide. Furthermore, in countries such as China, Italy, France, and
Spain, in police records, the occurrences of violence against women in the
period of mandatory home isolation doubled. (1) In Brazil, this
increase is evidenced by the denouncements made to dial 180, since, in 2019,
32.9 thousand were registered between January and April, and 37.5 thousand =
in
the same period of the year 2020. (3)
As an effect of the covid-19 pandemic, the aggrava=
tion
of social and gender inequalities became even more urgent to pay attention =
to
the specificities of vulnerable populations, including women. These
represent 70% of the workforce and are ahead of their responsibilities, whe=
ther
domestic or business. In addition, social isolation, economic crisis,
change in social relationships, unemployment, and anxiety resulting from the
moment of public calamity and economic instability are contributing factors=
to
the occurrence of domestic violence and femicide. (4)
In this context, the objective was to analyze, fro=
m a
literature review, the increase in cases of femicide in the context of the
covid-19 pandemic. It is of great importance to emphasize that the per=
iod
of social isolation and/or quarantine has hampered access to health and pub=
lic
safety services due to changes in care protocols and the insecurity of the
victim in seeking assistance. it is necessary to seek strategies to support
women during the pandemic and to offer support and care to victims of viole=
nce.
METHODS
This is an integrative literature review, supporte=
d by
the following guiding question, "How can the social isolation imposed =
by
the covid-19 pandemic influence the increase in cases of violence against
women?"
The integrative literature review is a method that
aims to synthesize results obtained in research in a systematic, orderly, a=
nd
comprehensive way, using different methodologies. It is called integra=
tive
because it provides broader information on a subject, constituting a body of
knowledge, and can be directed towards the definition of concepts, review of
theories, or methodological analysis of studies. (5)
Thus, it determined the construction of the PICo
strategy, which represen=
ts
an acronym for Problem (P), Interest (I), Context (Co), which makes it poss=
ible
to locate relevant studies that answered the research problem. =
(6) Indexed and non-indexed descriptors were used
(“violence against women”, “Public Health Policies”, “women's health”, “hea=
lth
strategies”, “ Social Isolation ”, “pandemic”, “Sars -cov-2") in Portuguese, English, and
Spanish. Thus, the descriptors were obtained from the Medical
Subject Headings (MESH), the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS), as
shown in Table 1.
The Virtual Health Library (VHL), Latin American a=
nd
Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS), and PubMed were consulted
using descriptors and keywords. Twelve complete publications were sele=
cted
to support results and discussion. Inclusion criteria were studies
available in their entirety, published in the years 2020 to 2021, in Portug=
uese,
English, and Spanish. Book chapters, abstracts, incomplete texts, thes=
es,
dissertations, technical reports, and other forms of publications that were=
not
characterized as complete scientific articles were excluded from the initial
search.
Table 1 - Elements of the PICo strategy, descriptors, =
and
keywords used. Senator Alexandre Costa - MA, Brazil, 2021.
|
Elements |
Decs |
mesh |
Keywords |
|
|
FOR |
Violence against women. |
Violence against women;<=
/span> Violence Against Women;<=
/span> Violence against la Mujer. |
Violence Against Women; |
Violence against women. |
|
I |
Public Health Policies;<= o:p> Women's health; Health Strategies. |
Public health =
policies ; Public Health Poli=
cy; Public Health Policies;<=
/span> Women's health; Women's Health; Salud de la Mujer; Health strategies; eHealth Strategies; eHealth Strategies; |
Public Health Policy; Women's Health; eHealth |
Public policies of Health; Women's health; Health strategies; |
|
Co |
Social isolation; Pandemic; SARS-CoV-2. |
Social isolation;=
Social Isolation;=
Social isolation;=
Pandemic; pandemics Pandemic; Covid-19; Betaco=
ronavirus; |
Social Isolation; Pandemics; Betacoronavirus; |
Social
isolation; Pandemic; SARS-CoV-2; |
Source: Decs, Mesh terms a=
nd
keywords ( 2021).
The descriptors and terms defined during the resea=
rch
were classified and combined in the databases (Table 2), resulting in
specific strategies in each database.
Table 2 - Search strategies used in BIREME and PUBMED
databases. Senador Alexandre Costa - MA, Brazil, 2021.
|
DATABASE |
SEARCH STRATEGY |
RESULT=
S |
FILTER=
ED |
SELECT=
ED |
|
LILACS (BDENF) |
(Viole=
nce
Against Women) AND (Public Health Policy) AND (Social Isolation) |
07 |
03 |
03 |
|
PubMed (MeSH descriptors) |
((Viol=
ence
Against Women) AND (Public Health Policy)) AND (Social Isolation) |
58 |
27 |
09 |
Source: <=
span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-fareast-f=
ont-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language:KO'>Databases (2021).
RESULTS
After searching each database and extracting studi=
es
that did not fit the time frame or were not complete scientific articles, 12
studies were selected that met the inclusion criteria and were classified a=
nd
organized according to Table 3 and Table 1, wh=
ich
have the information regarding the characteristics of the studies.
Table 1 - Descriptive analysis of
scientific productions on “COVID Pandemic 19 and relation to cases of domes=
tic
violence”. Senador Alexandre Costa – MA, (2021).
|
VARIABLES |
No. |
% |
|
Articles approach |
||
|
Quanti=
tative |
03 |
25% |
|
Qualit=
ative |
09 |
75% |
|
research design |
||
|
case-<=
span
class=3DSpellE>control study |
02 |
16.6% |
|
cohort=
study |
03 |
25% |
|
Random=
ized
Clinical Trial |
02 |
16.6% |
|
System=
atic
review |
05 |
41.6% |
|
Grade =
of
recommendation and level of evidence |
||
|
"1
A" |
07 |
56.3%% |
|
"2
B" |
03 |
25% |
|
"=
3B" |
02 |
16.6% |
|
origin |
||
|
USA |
04 |
33.3% |
|
Brazil |
04 |
33.3% |
|
England |
01 |
8.3% |
|
Tunisia |
01 |
8.3% |
|
Peru |
01 |
8.3% |
|
Canada |
01 |
8.3% |
Source: <=
/b>Prepared by the authors (2021).
It was evaluated that, of the total number of
studies analyzed, most studies were produced in the USA (33.3%) and Brazil
(33.3%), with 74% of the studies having a qualitative approach, with a
predominance of systematic review studies. (41.6%), and in general, present=
ed a
high quality of scientific evidence (1A).
Table 3 - Publications includ=
ed and
selected according to the database used, article title, journal, language, =
and
year of publication. Senador Alexandre=
Costa
- MA, Brazil, 2021.
|
BASEARTICLE TITLEMAGAZINEYEAR OF PUBLICATION |
||
|
LILACSWomen's
Health, Gender, Public Policy, and Medical Education: Issues in the Conte=
xt
of the Pandemic / Women’s Health, Gender, Public Policies, and Medical
Education: Issues in the Context of the Pandemic |
Rev. bras. education avg. |
2020 |
|
LILACSChalle=
nges
in protecting women in situations of violence in the context of the covid=
-19
pandemic |
Science care Health |
2020 |
|
LILACSSocial
isolation and the rise of domestic violence: what does this tell us? |
Rev. bras. Epidemiol. |
2020 |
|
PubMedViolen=
ce
against women in the Covid-19 pandemic: A review of the literature and a =
call
for shared strategies to tackle health and social emergencies |
Forensic Science International<=
span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-fo=
nt-family:
"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-language:KO'> |
2021 |
|
PubMedDomest=
ic
violence against women amid the pandemic: coping strategies disseminated =
by
digital media |
Rev. Bras. Nursing |
2021 |
|
PubMedCOVID-=
19
and the rise of intimate partner violence |
World Development |
2021 |
|
PubMedWomen's
mental health: acute impact of COVID-19 pandemic on domestic violence |
Archives of Women's Ment=
al
Health. |
2020 |
|
PubMedCOVID-=
19
pandemic and violence: rising risks and decreasing urgent care-seeking for
sexual assault and domestic violence survivors |
BMC Medicine2021 |
|
|
PubMedThe im=
pact
of the Covid-19 pandemic in the precipitation of intimate partner violenc=
e |
International Journal of=
Law
and Psychiatry |
2020 |
|
PubMedExperi=
ences
of Intimate Partner Violence during Lockdown and the COVID-19 Pandemic |
Journal of Family Violence |
2021 |
|
PubMedCovid-=
19
and Domestic Violence: an Indirect Path to Social and Economic Crisis |
Journal of Family Violence |
2020 |
|
PubMedCOVID-=
19:
urgency for distancing from domestic violence |
European Journal of Psychot=
raumaly |
2020 |
Source: Prepared by the authors (2021).
The covid-19 pandemic caused an increase in violen=
ce
against women, specifically domestic violence, which encompasses all forms =
of
violence that occur within the family, therefore, femicide. Since acts=
of
aggression against women are committed by the spouse or ex-partner of the
victims. (7-8)
Although social isolation is a measure to control =
the
spread of Sars-cov-2, it has been opportune for aggressors to persist with =
acts
of violence, as it is a period of change in social relations and change in =
care
protocols as a way of avoiding agglomerations, unemployment, anxiety result=
ing
from the moment of public calamity, among other factors that make the victim
feel insecure in seeking health and public safety support, thus promoting t=
he
rupture of the cycle of violence. (1,2,9)
The studies also presented digital media as a way =
of
coping with domestic violence in this period of social isolation, they have
been used as a universal resource, for communication, work, as a source of
information, teleconsultations, in addition to serving as a support to give
visibility to causes such as these that need activist behaviors. (2.7)
In summary, there is a need for reorganization of =
services
for women in situations of violence, as well as the urgent need for
interventions that can minimize the incidence of occurrences of domestic
violence, since the data show the exceptional increase in violence against
women and femicide in this period of a global pandemic. (10,11)
DISCUSSION
Violence against women is a global problem with a
great impact on the health of the population, as it not only affects the vi=
ctim
but also interferes with the quality of life of family members and
communities. (7,12) In this sense, violence perpetrated by an intimate
partner can be practiced in different ways, including physical violence
(beating, torture, and murder); psychological ( manipulation,
humiliation, threats); patrimonial (obsessive control of finances;
subtraction of money and control of personal objects), sexual violence =
;( unwanted sexual relations, harassment, and
prohibition of the use of contraceptives). (13,14,15)
Some evidence highlights that the incidence of cas=
es
of violence against women is notorious in periods after natural disasters, =
such
as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, where the increase in cases of violence rose =
from
12.5% in 2006 to 34.4% in 2007, with a predominance of domest=
ic
and psychological violence. Although studies on cases of violence agai=
nst
women in the covid-19 pandemic are insufficient, as well as in previous
outbreaks of Ebola and Zika virus, which also have irreversible consequence=
s,
the health system must adapt to the circumstances and identify intervention=
s applicably. (7.9)
Not only in countries such as China, the United
Kingdom, and the United States of America, there was an increase in cases of
domestic violence against women during the period of mandatory social
isolation, as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. As well as in Brazil,
there was a significant increase when compared to police incidents of
assistance to women from March 2019 to April 2020, since the complaints rose
from 17.9% in March to 37.6% in April, as if that wasn't enough femicide ra=
tes
increased 22% in 12 states. (2, 12, 14)
In addition, the most common factors that intensify
the occurrence of violence against women are anxiety, economic crisis, pove=
rty,
social isolation, mandatory quarantine, depression, post-traumatic stress
disorder, sleep disorder, and substance abuse disorder.
Abusers use the pandemic period as a justification=
to
intensify acts of violence due to being confined with the victim in the same
family life, consequently, an increase in femicide in the period of social
isolation was identified, where regulations impose restrictions on travel,
social distancing and additional measures to control Sars-cov-2. (8, 9, 14) Therefore, it is necessary to change the care and
safety protocols, establishing exceptions to cases of violence against wome=
n.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
The study allowed a descriptive analysis of the
increase in cases of violence against women and femicide in the covid-19
pandemic period, as well as the factors that significantly contributed to t=
he
occurrence of cases of violence. Although Sars-cov-2 is a serious heal=
th
problem for the population, there is another global public health emergency
that is becoming a challenge and needs immediate interventions as an
exceptional increase in female deaths has been identified. of childbearing =
age.
In this sense, social isolation measures to reduce=
the
community transmission of Sars-cov-2, in addition to favoring the incidence=
of
occurrence of domestic violence cases, can also result in serious economic,
social and psychological crises, since the factors of risks are amplified,
thus, home confinement causes difficulty in accessing protection resources,=
as
victims are separated from their usual support system, which makes it very
difficult or impossible to ask for help and/or survive the abusive
relationship.
Based on the above, the studies showed that the ma=
in
protection resources used by the victims were the cell phone to access the
complaint channels such as telephone channels, dial 180, 100, 181, 197, 129,
190, and 192; applications such as WhatsApp, women's protection servic=
e,
Civil Police, Public Defender's Office, emergency service; Website wit=
h the
ombudsman for the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights. Another
strategy adopted was to encourage participation and guide neighbors to repo=
rt
cases.
Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen and imple=
ment
public policies on women's health with actions to prevent violence against
women and femicide worldwide. In addition, government institutions must
include services and measures to protect victims in their contingency plans=
.
Adding to the fact that health professionals have =
an
important role to play in identifying, welcoming the victim, notifying case=
s of
violence, and referring them to specialized care such as a forensic clinici=
an,
more research should be carried out to provide reliable information and cre=
ate
strategies to guide women in situations of violence.
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Corresponding
author
Kaio Germano Sousa Da Silva, Trav=
essa
São 654, Seriema, Caxias – MA, 6560290, telefone: +55(99) 8817-3001, E-mail=
: kaiogsds@hotmail.com
Submi=
ssion:
2021-07-01
Appro=
val:
2021-09-07
[1]=
Centro
Universitário de Ciências e Tecnologia do Maranhão, Caxias, Brasil, ORCID: =
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-=
3679-9091
[2]=
Faculdade do=
Vale
Elvira Dayrell, Virginópol=
is,
Brasil, ORCID: https://or=
cid.org/0000-0003-4236-6230
[3]=
Instituto At=
henas,
Caxias, Brasil, ORCID: ht=
tps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6955-5675
[4]=
Centro Unive=
rsitário
de Ciências e Tecnologia do Maranhão, Caxias, Brasil, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-=
8571-7806
[5]=
Centro
Universitário de Ciências e Tecnologia do Maranhão, Caxias, Brasil, ORCID: =
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-=
4917-6811
[6]=
Universidade
Estadual do Maranhão, Florianópolis, Brasil, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-=
2054-959X
[7]=
Universidade
Estadual do Maranhão, Caxias, Brasil, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-=
4022-037X
[8]=
Instituo
Sírio-Libanês de Ensino e Pesquisa, São Paulo, Brasil, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-=
4941-8005
[9]=
Faculdade Ve=
nda
Nova do Imigrante, Caxias, Brasil, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-=
0254-2634
[10] Universidade
Federal do Piauí, Teresina, Brasil, ORCID: http://orcid.org//0000-0003-2=
988-544X
[11] Centro
Universitário de Ciências e Tecnologia do Maranhão, Caxias, Brasil, ORCID: =
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-=
4753-5593
[12] Escola de Sa=
úde
Pública do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-=
3122-4803
[13] Centro
Universitário de Ciências e Tecnologia do Maranhão, Caxias, Brasil, ORCID: =
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-=
3400-0570
[14] Centro
Universitário de Ciências e Tecnologia do Maranhão, Caxias, Brasil, ORCID: =
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-=
1819-9540
[15] Centro
Universitário de Ciências e Tecnologia do Maranhão, Caxias, Brasil, ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-=
4024-702X
= =