Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed unforeseen consequences for those already experiencing domestic abuse, violence, or child abuse with intensified, new, and recurring stressors, which made individuals more susceptible to abuse. The stressors covered in this literature review include isolation, mental health issues, economic or job instability, parental stress or burnout, global social and economic crisis, school and protective services closures, limited access to childcare, the threat of contagion, grief, and increased alcohol and drug consumption or abuse. Due to the nature of government-mandated stay-at-home orders and mass closures intended to stop the spread of COVID-19, victims have had few options for outreach to friends, family, or to protective services. This literature review identifies the current stressors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that can increase risk factors for domestic abuse, violence, and child abuse.
TopOverview Of Domestic Violence And Abuse
Domestic abuse is between intimate partners where one person in the relationship attempts to control the other through using fear and intimidation tactics and potentially threatening physical violence (De Benedictus & Jaffe, 2004). Patterns of domestic abuse tend to be seen in cycles; the building tension phase, the incident of abuse, and the honeymoon phase (De Benedictus & Jaffe, 2004). In De Benedictus and Jaffe (2004), researchers note domestic violence escalates from threats to verbal abuse and lastly to physical violence, sometimes even ending up in serious bodily harm or murder. Victims of domestic violence are men, women, non-binary, and transgender people, and it is prevalent in heterosexual and same-sex partnerships (De Benedictus & Jaffe, 2004; Rogers, 2020). Domestic abuse has many facets, with a wide range from only violent encounters, to those including emotional, physical, sexual, economic, psychological, or spiritual abuse (De Benedictus & Jaffe, 2004).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Battered Woman Syndrome: Battered woman syndrome develops in women who are victims of domestic abuse (physical, sexual, and psychological abuse), in which they develop psychological symptoms making it hard for them to regain control. Battered woman syndrome is labeled as a subcategory of posttraumatic stress disorder, with many women also meeting the clinical criteria for diagnosis.
Economic Abuse: Economic abuse is when an abuser controls their partner's economic resources, forcing the victim to depend on their abuser financially. Examples of economic abuse can be withholding financial resources like money, preventing someone from having a job or obtaining the necessary education, or stealing money or assets from their partner.
Stay-at-Home Orders: Varying on a state-by-state basis, the stay-at-home orders or safer-at-home orders were enacted to slow the spread of COVID-19. Many states shut down non-essential businesses to encourage self-quarantine and slow the spread of the virus. Many states and cities also enforced mask mandates and social distancing regulations.
Domestic Violence: Domestic violence is used by abusers to control a spouse or intimate partner through maintaining power and abuse behavior patterns. This violence can include physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, economic, or spiritual abuse in the form of action, threats, or other behaviors intended to manipulate, injure, intimidate, or humiliate someone.
Spiritual Abuse: Spiritual abuse can occur in intimate partner relationships as ridiculing, insulting, or manipulating their partner's religious beliefs and preventing their partners from practicing beliefs. Forcing the children to be raised in a faith the other partner has not agreed to and using religious texts or beliefs to minimize abusive behavior can also be examples of spiritual abuse.
Domestic Abuse: Domestic abuse closely resembles domestic violence yet broadens the definition of domestic violence to encompass other family members like children, older adults, and non-related parties. Domestic abuse includes the same manipulation patterns to ensure victims' compliance so an abuser can maintain control.
Child Abuse: Child abuse is when an adult, parent, or caretaker causes injury, death, emotional or sexual harm, or risk of serious harm through action or failing to act.
Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse is any unwanted or non-consensual sexual activity that may use force or threats. Sexual abuse also includes perpetrators taking advantage of victims not able to give consent like minors and highly intoxicated people.