Domestic violence on the rise during COVID-19 quarantine
Breaking: Domestic violence calls to police are up 22% in Kansas City since the stay-at-home order was issued.
As stay-at-home orders intensify and coronavirus cases in Missouri continue to climb, quarantine hasn’t been easy for anyone. But for those facing domestic violence, the situation presents a unique, all-encompassing terror.
While self-isolating with your immediate household remains the most recommended precaution against coronavirus, isolation also stands out as a common tactic in establishing abusive dynamics. According to the organization loveisrespect, sponsored by The National Domestic Violence Hotline, isolation and exclusion help abusers facilitate a “power and control wheel.” Quarantine only further compounds this cycle.
“At this point, victims are isolated from work, family, friends and others who may be a support system,” explained Courtney Thomas, president and CEO of Kansas City’s Newhouse Shelter. “With the quarantine in place, victims are stuck at home full-time with their abusers. This creates a very challenging predicament where victims are unable to go to a private place to ask for help. It also escalates the probability of abuse should an abuser believe a victim is trying to reach out or escape.”
Judge Kathleen Lynch, who works with domestic violence cases in Wyandotte County, ties this lack of privacy to a drop in Protection From Abuse (PFA) order requests. A PFA order results in mandated no contact between an abuser and victim for a time period of up to 36 months.
During a normal week, Lynch says she receives between 25 to 40 requests for PFA orders. Throughout quarantine, the court has averaged around seven requests a week. Lynch stresses that this reduction in reporting does not point to a reduction in abuse.
In fact, domestic violence in China tripled during February 2020 as compared to February 2019, according to Axios. Similarly, after the implementation of lockdown measures in Paris, France, police intervened in 36 percent more domestic violence calls, cited French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. Researchers link troubling statistics like these not only to quarantine, but to spikes in unemployment and resulting financial duress.
With many shelters filled to capacity and mandated reporters like educators and counselors working from home, victims are finding increasingly creative and desperate ways to communicate these surging dangers. In pharmacies throughout Europe, the phrase “mask 19” has become a code for pharmacists to contact police on a patient’s behalf.
Likewise, area organizations like Rose Brooks Center emphasize discreet resources, such as texting 9-1-1 if not able to talk on the phone. This feature is available in all surrounding Kansas City counties.
“Domestic violence services are available to anyone regardless of gender, background, sexual orientation, or identity,” said Scott Mason, director of donor stewardship at Rose Brooks. “If you reach out to a hotline or reach out for help, experts are not going to tell you what to do, but rather provide you with resources and options.”
“It can be terrifying to reach out, but it is the very best first step in getting help or support. You are not alone.”
According to Thomas, almost anyone can play a role in amplifying this vital message. She shares that simply routine FaceTime visits with a friend can serve as a way to gauge their well-being, assess warning signs, and provide support. Thomas recommends that people facing abuse or violence designate a friend or a family member as their “safety partner.” This partner can help the victim construct a personalized safety plan, considering elements like how to get out of the home safely if crisis builds, where to put one’s purse or car keys in order to leave quickly, how to alert neighbors, and how to identify code words.
Those wanting to help domestic violence victims can also make a difference by donating online to area organizations like Rose Brooks Center, Newhouse Shelter, and Safehome. Safehome, located in Overland Park, is also running a toilet paper raffle to “wipe out” domestic violence.
“One in four women and one in seven men will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime—this means someone you know, someone you love and someone you care about is living this life right now,” Thomas stated. “Domestic violence is a community problem and it will take us all working together to solve it.”
Where to get help:
Contact Rose Brooks Center’s 24-hour-hotline: 816-861-6100
Contact Safehome’s 24-hour-hotline: 913-262-2868
Contact Newhouse Shelter’s 24-hour-hotline: 816-471-5800
Download a personalized safety plan from the National Center for Domestic and Sexual Violence here.
