"Don't Know where to Go for Help": Safety and Economic Needs among Violence Survivors during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Living in an Intimate Partner Violence Shelter During a Pandemic: Perspectives from Advocates and Survivors

PURPOSE

With state-wide quarantine policies during the COVID-19 pandemic like those implemented in the state of Texas, intimate partner violence (IPV) shelter staff were forced to incorporate new safety measures to keep survivors and advocates safe. To understand the impact of these adaptations fully, authors interviewed shelter staff and residents to capture both of their experiences living and working in the same shelter during the height of the coronavirus pandemic (summer 2020) to understand how changes in policy and procedure in shelters impacted survivors and advocates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A qualitative phenomenological design was utilized to collect and analyze data from 10 staff and 10 survivors to develop both a textual and a structural description of participant experiences living in an IPV shelter.

RESULTS

The current study captured the survivors' and advocates' perspectives related to the 1) vacillating views of shelter social distancing and quarantine policies, 2) shelter occupancy and staffing unpredictability, 3) the broader challenges related to environmental stressors and 4) mobility challenges.

DISCUSSION

Results of this study highlight factors related to interpersonal relationships within the shelter and structural factors of shelter which contributed to stress for participants.

CONCLUSION

The coronavirus is continuing to present challenges for shelters. Implications can be drawn from provider and client experiences that can inform policies and procedures for future health crises, including the need to mitigate environmental stress and transportation challenges, as well as considerations for maintaining social support should social distancing be necessary in future epidemics.

The Experiences of Post-Separation Survivors of Domestic Violence During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Findings From a Qualitative Study in the United Kingdom

Post-separation for domestic violence (DV) survivors is known to be a period of heightened risk of domestic homicide. Evidence points to increased rates of DV during the Covid-19 pandemic, with specific challenges in help-seeking from DV services, yet studies that capture this qualitatively are still emerging. This UK study investigated the experiences of 21 separated DV survivors (all women) during the Covid-19 pandemic. Inductive, thematic analysis highlighted participants' psychological distress, isolation, fear of Covid-19 transmission, and detachment from support networks. The findings reflect the interconnected nature of adversities experienced by DV survivors and the exacerbation of these due to the insidious, multifaceted, and synergistic impacts of DV and the pandemic.

Stalking Discourse on Reddit: A Comparative Analysis of Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Using Big Data

Stalking, a widespread and distressing phenomenon, has recently garnered considerable attention. The advent of digital platforms has revolutionized the landscape of stalking, presenting new avenues and challenges for research. However, the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic on stalking remains underexplored, despite extensive studies on similar crimes such as intimate partner violence and domestic violence. To address this gap, our study focused on Reddit, a prominent online platform with a diverse user base and open discussion. Through an analysis of posts from the subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/Stalking/), we sought to compare the discourse on stalking before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We found notable shifts in stalking-related posts before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with the emergence of new topics centered on cyberstalking. We also observed that the experiences of stalking victims have significantly changed following the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on our findings, we discussed the implications for policies to help stalking victims.

Gun Laws, Stay-at-Home Orders, and Poverty: Surges in Pandemic Firearm Violence in Large US Cities

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic heralded a surge in firearm homicides (FH) in many, but not all, urban centers. We aimed to determine the relationship of firearm restrictive legislation, stay-at-home orders (SaHOs), and FH during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in US cities.

METHODS

Demographics and socioeconomic data were captured from the 2020 US Census for large (population ≥250,000) cities. FH data were captured from the Gun Violence Archive. We retrieved firearm recovery estimates from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Firearms Trace Database. Firearm restrictive legislation was gathered from the State Firearm Laws Database. SaHO durations were found from press releases and government sources. Variables with P ≤ 0.200 in univariate linear regression were entered into a final multivariable model.

RESULTS

A median of 7.5 FH per 100,000 people occurred in the 85 included US cities across 32 states in 2020 (range, 0.35-69.80 per 100,000). In multivariable regression, longer SaHOs (β: 0.033, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.014-0.053, P = 0.001) and higher poverty (β: 0.471, 95% CI: 0.280-0.670, P < 0.001) were associated with increases in FH. Handgun-specific laws (β: -0.793, 95% CI: -1.430 to -0.160, P = 0.015) were associated with lower FH.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that poverty and longer SaHOs were associated with increased FH in large US cities during the height of the pandemic, while handgun-specific laws were associated with a decrease. Reducing poverty, mitigating the negative effects of SaHOs, and expanding handgun-specific legislation may protect from surges in FH during future crises.

Characterizing Intimate Partner Violence in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant global health concern. Numerous research studies document increases in IPV since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Despite this widespread recognition, research around the nature of this violence is still growing. This systematic review summarizes the existing literature documenting the prevalence and characteristics of IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inclusion criteria are as follows: reported original data empirical study, assessed for IPV among adult population in the United States, and was published in English between December 2019 and March 2022. A total of 53 articles were then independently reviewed and sorted into four thematic subcategories: victimization, perpetration, articles addressing victimization and perpetration, and provider perspectives. Studies document consistent increases in the prevalence of IPV victimization and perpetration. Providers within agencies providing support to individuals impacted by IPV also documented increased strain on the agencies.

"Our services are not the same": the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on care interactions in women's shelters

BACKGROUND

Guidelines and regulations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly impacted the health care sector. We explore these impacts in the gender-based violence (GBV) services sector and, more specifically, in the context of women's shelters.

METHODS

Using an interpretive description and integrated knowledge mobilization approach, we interviewed 8 women's shelter clients, 26 staff, and conducted focus groups with 24 Executive Directors.

RESULTS

We found that pandemic responses challenged longstanding values that guide work in women's shelters, specifically feminist and anti-oppressive practices. Physical distancing, masking, and closure of communal spaces intended to slow or stop the spread of the novel coronavirus created barriers to the provision of care, made it difficult to maintain or create positive connections with and among women and children, and re-traumatized some women and children. Despite these challenges, staff and leaders were creative in their attempts to provide quality care, though these efforts, including workarounds, were not without their own challenges.

CONCLUSIONS

This research highlights the need to tailor crisis response to sector-specific realities that support service values and standards of care.

Characterizing the Differences in Descriptions of Violence on Reddit During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Concerns have been raised over the experiences of violence such as domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media such as Reddit represent an alternative outlet for reporting experiences of violence where healthcare access has been limited. This study analyzed seven violence-related subreddits to investigate the trends of different violence patterns from January 2018 to February 2022 to enhance the health-service providers' existing service or provide some new perspective for existing violence research. Specifically, we collected violence-related texts from Reddit using keyword searching and identified six major types with supervised machine learning classifiers: DV, IPV, physical violence, sexual violence, emotional violence, and nonspecific violence or others. The increase rate (IR) of each violence type was calculated and temporally compared in five phases of the pandemic. The phases include one pre-pandemic phase (Phase 0, the date before February 26, 2020) and four pandemic phases (Phases 1-4) with separation dates of June 17, 2020, September 7, 2020, and June 4, 2021. We found that the number of IPV-related posts increased most in the earliest phase; however, that for COVID-citing IPV was highest in the mid-pandemic phase. IRs for DV, IPV, and emotional violence also showed increases across all pandemic phases, with IRs of 26.9%, 58.8%, and 28.8%, respectively, from the pre-pandemic to the first pandemic phase. In the other three pandemic phases, all the IRs for these three types of violence were positive, though lower than the IRs in the first pandemic phase. The findings highlight the importance of identifying and providing help to those who suffer from such violent experiences and support the role of social media site monitoring as a means of informative surveillance for help-providing authorities and violence research groups.

An Exploration of Australian Online Government Portals for Women Experiencing Domestic Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Domestic violence against women increased during COVID-19 lockdowns. This inaugural study examined the content of Australian government online portals, for women seeking support and help for domestic violence, during the 2021 COVID-19 pandemic. This mixed methods study incorporated four phases: a search; measurement of portal quality standard using DISCERN; enumeration of portal items; and a qualitative exploration of portal text. Australian governments must continue to work alongside domestic violence services as we found some portals were better than others. Continued review, revision, and funding are needed to meet the demands associated with this evolving public health emergency.

Experiencing Moral Distress Within the Intimate Partner Violence & Sexual Assault Workforce

Purpose

Moral distress (MD) refers to the psychological disequilibrium that emerges when institutional policies and/or practices conflict with an individual's professional values and ethics. MD has been interrogated frequently in health care and ancillary medical settings, and has been identified as a critical barrier to enhanced organizational climate and patient care. However, little work has investigated experiences of MD among members of the intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) workforce.

Methods

This study investigates MD in a sample of IPV and SV service providers via secondary analysis of 33 qualitative interviews conducted with service providers in the summer and fall of 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic response was unfolding.

Results

Qualitative content analysis revealed multiple overlapping vectors of MD experienced by IPV and SV service providers related to institutional resource constraints, providers working beyond their capacity and/or competency, shifting responsibilities within service agencies creating burdens among staff; and breakdowns in communication. Impacts of these experiences at individual, organizational, and client levels were identified by participants.

Conculsions

The study uncovers the need for further investigation of MD as a framework within the IPV/SV field, as well as potential lessons from similar service settings which could support IPV and SV agencies in addressing staff experiences of MD.

Changes in Mental Health, Emotional Distress, and Substance Use Affecting Women Experiencing Violence and Their Service Providers during COVID-19 in a U.S. Southern State

Research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed many unintended consequences of mandated safety precautions, including increased perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV), increases in substance use, and worsening mental health conditions. We conducted a repeated, cross-sectional survey of survivors of IPV, a longitudinal survey of service providers working in an IPV shelter, and interviews with both. We conducted surveys at the beginning of the pandemic and nearly half a year later to assess mental health and, for clients, substance use. Results showed that two small samples of survivors living in the shelter in 2020 and 2021 experienced both mental health decline and increased use of substances. Qualitative data from in-depth interviews suggest that COVID-19-related restrictions mirrored survivors' experiences of power and control in violent relationships. Further, IPV service providers-essential workers during COVID-19-experienced stress associated with reports of burnout and mental fatigue. This study suggests that community-based organizations can help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on survivors of IPV but should avoid adding additional work for staff as service providers experienced mental and emotional stress.

Teleservices use among Latinx immigrant families during the Covid-19 pandemic

Remote services are a promising option to reduce access to services inequities among underserved populations, such as immigrants families. There is evidence that Latinx immigrant families have used teleservices at lower rates than other families during the pandemic. This research explored the factors that prevented Latinxs immigrant families from engaging in teleservices during the Covid-19 pandemic. Using an inductive thematic approach, we interviewed 21 providers of services and key informants who worked with Latinxs families. Nonparticipation was driven by services unawareness, documentation requirements, a digital divide, and safety concerns. Implications for policy and practice concerning the implementation of remote services for immigrant families are discussed.

Presenting Methodological Resilience for Conducting Research with Vulnerable Populations During Current and Future Pandemics: A Case Study with IPV Shelters and Survivors in the United States

Purpose

In this brief report, we highlight the challenges that we experienced while attempting to conduct primary data collection with intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors living in an IPV emergency shelter throughout the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and our strategies to overcome them.

Method

In the summer of 2021, we began collecting data on a study investigating maternal-child bonding while living in IPV emergency shelters. We proposed a 14-day electronic daily diary methodology with follow-up semi-structured interview. The purpose of the study was to understand what factors affect maternal-child bonding to support survivors' relationships with their children while living in an emergency shelter.

Results

We encountered two global obstacles to study implementation: the Institutional Review Board (IRB) pausing in-person data collection and low IPV shelter utilization. In what we term methodological resilience, we engaged in innovative and flexible team work to overcome these barriers. Specific strategies centered on creating an entirely remote data collection process and expanding our geographic area and participant eligibility criteria.

Conclusions

Implications for researchers include greater communication with IRB offices, planning for multi-state recruitment, triangulated recruitment methods, reminder texts for participants and incremental incentives to ensure continued engagement with the study.

"So many extra safety layers:" Virtual service provision and implementing social distancing in interpersonal violence service agencies during COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic necessitated rapid shifts in approach for service providers working with survivors of interpersonal violence. To reduce the spread of the virus, providers and agencies implemented a rapid and unplanned expansion of virtual services while also developing new protocols to support safe and socially distant in-person services. To understand how these shifts have impacted victim service professionals and the survivors they serve, to provide guidance for on-going efforts, and to inform planning for future public health emergencies, this study asks the question: What approaches did the interpersonal violence workforce use to address social distancing needs during COVID-19? Semi-structured interviews were conducted from July to December 2020 with 33 interpersonal violence service providers from across the United States, and data were analyzed via conventional content analysis with additional steps for data credibility. Findings fall within two primary categories: 1) Technology and Virtual Service Provision; and 2) Social Distancing for In-person Services. Within each category, a number of themes emerged illustrating strengths and challenges of each approach, and the complex web of technological, safety, and public health considerations being balanced in interpersonal violence service agencies. These results provide guidance for the implementation of virtual services in an on-going manner, as well as underscoring the importance of future planning to facilitate effective in-person but physically distant services. There is also a clear need for agencies to support the interpersonal violence workforce to reduce occupational stress and enhance skills and capacities with new forms of services.

Survivors' Concerns During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of stay-at-home orders in March 2020, experts warned of the possible threat of increased interpersonal violence among individuals isolated with abusers. Researchers have sought to understand how the pandemic impacted victims primarily through the analysis of administrative data sources, such as hospital and police records. However, the preponderance of this data shows a decrease in formal help-seeking among victims during the pandemic, speaking to an impaired access to services but limiting our understanding of other ways in which the pandemic has affected survivors. To overcome these limitations, we examined data collected about users of the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline (NSAOH). Information was collected through staff based on retrospective recall following one-on-one chat sessions with 470 victims of sexual violence who contacted the NSAOH in the first six months of the pandemic and discussed COVID-19-related concerns. We qualitatively examined open-ended descriptions of COVID-19-related concerns and identified the four most common: (1) mental health concerns, (2) creation or exacerbation of an unsafe living situation, (3) not being able to access services, and (4) not having access to a mandatory reporter or trusted adult. These findings demonstrate the myriad ways in which the pandemic affected the lives of victims of sexual violence and can inform practices for services and practitioners to best meet the needs of survivors moving forward. Specifically, these findings highlight the need for more accessible mental health services and funding for sexual assault service providers, as well as the importance of safety planning, particularly in times of crisis.

Post-Assault Health Care for Sexual Assault Survivors During COVID-19: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Service Rates in a Predominately African American Community

This study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected sexual assault healthcare services in a predominately African American U.S. city. In mixed methods research design, we used quantitative interrupted time series modeling to evaluate changes in service rates for three core post-assault healthcare services-medical forensic exams (MFEs), medical advocacy MFE accompaniment, and counseling-from January 2019 through June 2021. We also conducted qualitative interviews with 12 sexual assault advocates to understand how their clients were impacted by COVID and how their agency adapted services to respond to the needs of their community. Both the quantitative and qualitative data revealed marked disruptions in service provision. The number of MFEs, medical advocacy accompaniments, and counseling sessions significantly decreased during the pandemic's initial surge, and survivors feared seeking hospital-based health care due to concerns that they might contract COVID-19 in hospital emergency departments. The number of MFEs performed by program staff did not return to pre-pandemic levels during this study's observation period, but the number of medical advocacy accompaniments and counseling sessions did significantly rebound. Counseling services eventually exceeded pre-pandemic levels as agency staff supported clients with both assault- and COVID-related trauma and loss. These results underscore the need for community-based sexual assault healthcare services, so that if public health emergencies limit the availability, accessibility, and safety of hospital emergency department care, sexual assault survivors have other settings for obtaining post-assault health care.

"Everyone is Living in the Same Storm, but our Boats are all Different": Safety and Safety Planning for Survivors of Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault (SA) faced increased violence, new safety risks, and reduced services access in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. IPV and SA service providers have a critical role in safety planning and advocacy with survivors; however their patterns of working were dramatically impacted by changes brought on by the pandemic. Little is known about safety planning strategies and service adaptations employed in this context. Through semi-structured interviews with 33 service providers from across the United States, this study explores the experiences and perspectives of victim service agency staff with IPV and SA survivor safety and safety planning from March to December 2020. Qualitative data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Four overarching themes related to survivor safety and safety planning emerged, including (1) "The violence is more severe, it's more escalated," describing an increase in the severity and frequency of violence; (2) "Perpetrating the violence through [technology]," describing a specific surge in technology based abuse (TBA) as the world shifted to virtual communication to facilitate social distancing; (3) "COVID-19 is now a tool in their toolbox," describing the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and health guidance as a life generated risk that abusive partners used to further control and isolate their partner; and (4) "You just get real crafty," highlighting the wide range of "work-arounds" and safety planning adaptations employed by victim service professionals trying to maintain services in a disrupted environment and in the face of evolving safety risks and increasing violence severity. These findings highlight the safety and safety planning challenges encountered as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded and the many creative strategies employed by service providers to adapt in the moment.

Evidence of Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Black Women Under Community Supervision in New York City: A Plea for Culturally Tailored Intimate Partner Violence Interventions

BACKGROUND

Black women involved in the legal system disproportionately experience intimate partner violence (IPV); however, current research does not satisfactorily describe the risk and protective factors associated with IPV among Black women under community supervision.

METHODS

We conducted a subgroup analysis of Black women (N = 128) using data from a randomized controlled trial that evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of two IPV screening and prevention programs for women under community supervision. Participants in the original study were randomized into two IPV prevention conditions-computerized or case manager Women Initiating New Goals of Safety (WINGS). In this study, we examine the effects of that study's two conditions on linkage to IPV services and secondary outcomes, specifically among Black participants who experienced physical, sexual, and psychological IPV.

RESULTS

Both conditions showed significant reductions in days of substance use abstinence over the 3-month period among Black women who experienced sexual or verbal IPV. Participants in the case manager arm were 14 times more likely to receive IPV services in the past 90 days-from baseline to the 3-month follow-up (adjusted odds ratio = 14.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.25 to 166.51, p = 0.032). Participants in the computerized arm were significantly more likely to report receiving social support from baseline to the 3-month follow-up assessment (regression coefficient [b] = 2.27, 95% CI = 0.43 to 4.11, p = 0.015).

CONCLUSIONS

Although both conditions showed significant reductions in the number of days of abstinence from substance use among this subgroup of Black women, the findings showed differential effectiveness between the computerized WINGS arm and the case manager WINGS arm in improving social support and linkage to services. These findings may indicate that different modalities of WINGS may work better for specific activities and point to the need for a hybrid format that optimizes the use of distinct modalities for delivering activities.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Staff in Violence Against Women Services

The COVID-19 pandemic has been harmful to survivors of abuse. Less understood is the impact on staff in the violence against women (VAW) service sector. Using interpretive description methodology, we examined staff experiences during the pandemic in Ontario, Canada, and found four core themes: (1) the emotional toll of the work; (2) remote (doesn't) work; (3) work restructuring; (4) efforts to stay well and subthemes nuancing staff experiences in a sector vulnerable to vicarious trauma. This research underscores the need to mitigate experiences of stress, heavy workloads, and guilt for staff in VAW services during crises and provides action-oriented recommendations.

The impact of COVID-19 on the safety, housing stability, and mental health of unstably housed domestic violence survivors

Using data from an ongoing longitudinal study, we examined the impact of the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on a racially diverse population of unstably housed domestic violence (DV) survivors over time. Specifically, we examined survivors' safety, housing stability, and mental health before, during, and after the onset of COVID-19, and how demographic, social, and familial factors attenuated or exacerbated the effect of the stay-at-home orders. Approximately 300 participants were initially interviewed after they sought services from a DV agency, and then again, every 6 months over 2 years. COVID-19 stay-at-home orders occurred midway through the completion of this multi-year study. Longitudinal mixed effects models were estimated to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the safety, housing stability, and mental health of survivors over time. We also examined models with several time-varying (e.g., employment, income, social support, and number of children) and time-invariant (baseline outcome scores, racial/ethnic identity, education, and disability status) control variables. Results revealed that safety, housing stability and mental health were improving for study participants before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic but plateaued after the stay-at-home orders were issued. Experiences of abuse, housing instability, and mental health symptomatology did not worsen as a result of the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Notably, social support and housing services emerged as important predictors of outcomes, such that participants who received housing-related services and greater social support reported less abuse, less housing instability, and lower mental health distress. COVID-19 temporarily disrupted the positive trajectory unstably housed DV survivors were experiencing in regard to safety, housing stability and mental health. These findings provide critical insight into the importance of service access during and after global catastrophes. Additional resources and support may be helpful in assisting survivors to return to their pre-pandemic recovery and growth trajectories.

Sexual assault survivors' engagement with advocacy services during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sexual assault advocates provide support to survivors as they navigate medical, legal, housing, and other complex systems. However, social distancing measures enacted in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) forced changes to traditional advocacy services. The current study aimed to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic transformed survivors' engagement with sexual assault advocacy services. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 sexual assault advocates from a community-based advocacy organization in Detroit. Thematic analysis was employed to uncover emergent themes reflecting COVID-19's impact on survivors' engagement with advocacy services. Three themes were identified: (1) Disruption to advocacy services; (2) difficulty obtaining tangible resources; and (3) desire for COVID-related support, information, and resources. This study highlights the needs of sexual assault survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores how public health emergencies have the potential to exacerbate the needs of this vulnerable population. Implications and future directions for service provision and research are considered.

On the Front Lines of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Occupational Experiences of the Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault Workforce

In the face of increasing risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need to understand the experiences of the workforce providing support to survivors, as well as the evolving service delivery methods, shifting safety planning approaches, and occupational stress of frontline workers. We addressed this gap by conducting an online survey of members of IPV and sexual assault workforce using a broad, web-based recruitment strategy. In total, 352 staff from 24 states participated. We collaborated with practitioner networks and anti-violence coalitions to develop the brief survey, which included questions about work and health, safety planning, and stress. We used chi-square, t-test, and ANOVA analysis techniques to analyze differences within position and demographic variables. For qualitative data, we used thematic analysis to analyze responses from four open-ended questions. The sample was majority female-identified (93.7%) and essential workers in dual IPV and sexual assault programs (80.7%). Findings demonstrated that since the pandemic began, IPV and sexual assault staff are experiencing more personal and professional stressors, perceive a decrease in client safety, and lack resources needed to help survivors and themselves. Common problems included a lack of food or supplies at home and work and housing and financial support for survivors. There was a 51% increase in the use of video conference for work, which contributed to workforce strain. Reductions in overall service capacity and a shift to remote service provision have implications for both survivors and staff. These findings suggest a critical need for additional training, infrastructure, and support for the IPV and sexual assault workforce. There is an urgent need to classify IPV and sexual assault staff as first responders and address the occupational stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Experiences of Women Accessing Violence Against Women Outreach Services in Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Brief Report

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on violence against women (VAW), including increased prevalence and severity, and on VAW service delivery. The purpose of this research was to study women's experiences with VAW services in the first stages of the pandemic and describe their fears and concerns. This cross-sectional study was conducted from May through October 2020. Our VAW agency partners across Ontario, Canada invited women using outreach services to participate in a study about their experiences during the pandemic. In total, 49 women from 9 agencies completed an online survey. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and open-ended responses are presented to supplement findings. Women's experiences with VAW services during the pandemic varied greatly; some found technology-facilitated services (phone, video, text) more accessible, while others hoped to return to in-person care. Over half of women reported poorer wellbeing, access to health care, and access to informal supports. Many women reported increased relationship-related fears, some due specifically to COVID-19 factors. Our results support providing a variety of technology-based options for women accessing VAW services when in-person care options are reduced. This research also adds to the scant literature examining how some perpetrators capitalized on the pandemic by using new COVID-19-specific forms of coercive control. Although the impacts of the pandemic on women varied, our findings highlight how layers of difficulty, such as less accessible formal and informal support, as well as increased fear - can compound to make life for women experiencing abuse exceptionally difficult.

Crisis Work Embedded in a Global Crisis: The Early Phase Impact of COVID-19 on Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence and Service Provisions

COVID-19, as a global pandemic, was a public health inflection point for individuals affected by intimate partner violence (IPV) and those who provide IPV services. Public health guidelines that were intended to reduce risk of exposure to the virus impacted vulnerability factors for IPV survivors and associated systems of services. We aimed to (1) explore the effect of COVID-19 on survivors of IPV; (2) assess the effect of COVID-19 on IPV-related service provisions and service providers; and (3) explore challenges and opportunities in the wake of COVID-19 on broader IPV services and advocacy.

METHOD

Twelve directors of IPV shelter, criminal justice, and other advocacy services within a diverse, Midwestern metropolitan area were recruited to participate in in-depth, semi-structured interviews in June-August 2020. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Dedoose. Data were coded and analyzed through thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four major themes, contextualized by COVID-19 and racial injustice, emerged from the data analysis: (1) IPV-related trends; (2) impact on IPV survivors, services, and agency morale; (3) inter-agency collaborations; and (4) future opportunities for innovative service delivery. Gaps and opportunities for developing culturally congruent, trauma-informed services were identified.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that responsive and accessible IPV resources and associated advocacy services can make the difference between life and death for survivors.

Survivors' Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Shelter Utilization During COVID-19

This paper examines the effects of COVID-19 on service-engaged female survivors of IPV and makes recommendations for service providers based on these survivors' voices. The researchers adopted an exploratory, descriptive, and qualitative approach to inquiry due to the novelty of the research questions during the early days of the COVID-19 in March 2020. Semi-structured interviews with service-engaged survivors were analyzed using inductive and deductive coding processes. Two categories arose from our qualitative questions. The first category, related to experiences with service providers, included the themes of varying levels of support and isolation. Within the theme of isolation, survivors discussed both positive and negative aspects of isolation. The second category refers to the impact of COVID-19 on survivors' daily lives and focused on the theme of escalation. The theme of escalation had two subthemes 1) escalation of life-generated risks and 2) escalation of partner-generated risks. Given that the pandemic will continue until vaccines are fully distributed and that future public health emergencies may mirror many of the challenges identified in the current context, survivors residing at home will continue to need services, and agencies will continue to need additional resources to provide them. Therefore, we discuss recommendations that can have a bearing on services offered in the future.

Intimate Partner Violence against Women during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain

Aims: To analyze the temporal and geographical distribution of different indicators for the evolution of intimate partner violence against women (IPV) before, during and after the COVID-19 induced lockdown between March and June 2020 in Spain. Methods: Descriptive ecological study based on numbers of 016-calls, policy reports, women killed, and protection orders (PO) issued due to IPV across Spain as a whole and by province (2015–2020). We calculated quarterly rates for each indicator. A cluster analysis was performed using 016-call rates and protection orders by province in the second quarters of 2019 and 2020. ANOVAs were calculated for clustering by province, unemployment rates by province, and the current IPV prevalence. Results: During the second quarter of 2020, the highest 016-call rate was recorded (12.19 per 10,000 women aged 15 or over). Policy report rates (16.62), POs (2.81), and fatalities (0.19 per 1,000,000 women aged 15 or over) decreased in the second quarter of 2020. In the third quarter, 016-calls decreased, and policy reports and POs increased. Four clusters were identified, and significant differences in unemployment rates between clusters were observed (F = 3.05, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The COVID-19 lockdown fostered a change in IPV-affected women’s help-seeking behavior. Differences between the volume of contacts made via 016-call and the policy reports generated provide evidence for the existence of barriers to IPV-service access during the lockdown and the period of remote working. More efforts are needed to reorganize services to cope with IPV in non-presential situations. The provinces with the highest 016-call and PO rates were also those with the highest rates of unemployment, a worrying result given the current socioeconomic crisis.

Norwegian Shelters for Victims of Domestic Violence in the COVID-19 Pandemic - Navigating the New Normal

This study elucidates the responses of shelters and their adaptations to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effects on their services to victims of violence, as well as how shelter managers assess the situation for victims, including changes in the rates and character of the violence observed by the shelters. A web-based survey was distributed twice to all Norwegian shelters (N = 46): first during the lockdown in spring 2020 and second during the relaxation of infection control measures in summer 2020. The shelters in Norway remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority saw a reduction in the number of requests during the lockdown, while the rates returned to normal when the strictest infection control measures were lifted. They expressed concern about the decline in requests during the lockdown as well as the well-being of some groups, such as victims from ethnic minority backgrounds, children, and victims with additional challenges. A majority of the shelters did not report changes in the content of the requests. Nevertheless, a third of them had observed instances of the virus and/or infection control measures being used by perpetrators as part of the violence and coercive control strategies. The shelters in Norway, as an integrated part of the welfare state, in general seem to have met the needs of their clients during the pandemic. Yet, the study revealed important inequalities and deficiencies in access to services for some groups, and in the general support and recognition by authorities of the shelters.