Domestic Abuse Rising Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

For domestic violence victims, being trapped at home with their abusers during the stay-at-home order may be worse than the prospect of becoming infected with the coronavirus. What is worse is that courts across the country have substantially reduced the number of restraining orders they are processing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Forbes, in the period between March 16 and April 6, the National Domestic Violence Hotline received more than 2,300 calls in which coronavirus was cited as “a condition of abuse.”

However, at the same time, many victims are unable to reach out for help because they are stuck in the house with their abuser. During the stay-at-home order, some victims are trapped at home 24 hours a day, which gives them no opportunity to get out and call for help.

Why Domestic Abuse is Rising Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak

With Tennessee’s stay-at-home order asking people to stay indoors as much as possible, victims of domestic violence are more likely to suffer abuse. In this unprecedented situation, victims have no other place to go, and abusers can maintain their control for longer periods of time, which increases the risk for re-assault.

There are several reasons why domestic abuse is rising during the coronavirus pandemic:

Victims are being confined to a small place with their abusers.
Abusers maintain their control for prolonged periods of time.
Financial uncertainty, fear of infection, high levels of stress, and even boredom increase the risk of domestic violence.
Although courts remain open, their hours are limited, and some require calling before filing an order for protection, which makes it difficult or impossible to file a restraining order and get help.
The prospect of losing a job can make the abuser more aggressive and make them want to drink more alcohol, which further increases the risk of domestic violence.
If the victim loses a job, they are more likely to suffer abuse and have no ability to break out from the vicious cycle simply because they cannot afford to leave without income.
For many domestic violence victims, having the abuser go to work or being able to work themselves was their only reprieve from violence. However, the stay-at-home orders amid the virus outbreak have taken that reprieve away.

The Coronavirus Pandemic and Spike in Domestic Violence Cases

Stay-at-home orders and mandatory lockdowns aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus disease have trapped domestic violence survivors at home with their abusers, giving them no other place to go, isolating them from other people and the resources that could help.

Fact : More than 10 million people in the U.S. suffer physical abuse at the hands of their intimate partner.

For many victims of domestic violence, living in terror and suffering abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic is worse than the prospect of catching the deadly virus. For this reason, some of them choose to run away from home to avoid being stuck in their home with their abuser. But many others confined at home with their abusive partner endure physical, verbal, and emotional abuse.

If your intimate partner accused you of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, contact our criminal defense lawyers at Law Offices of Burch, Morrison, & Stewart. Let our results-driven Manchester domestic violence defense attorney help. Call at (931) 954-1066 to talk about your case.