A CASE STUDY ON PANDEMICS PERIOD VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Times of economic uncertainty, civil unrest, and disaster are linked to a myriad of risk factors for increased violence against women (VAW). Pandemics are no exception. In fact, the regional or global nature, associated fear and uncertainty associated with pandemics provide an enabling environment that may exacerbate or spark diverse forms of violence. Understanding mechanisms underlying these dynamics are important for crafting policy and program responses to mitigate adverse effects. Based on existing published and grey literature, we document nine main (direct and indirect) pathways linking pandemics and VAW, through effects of (on): economic insecurity and poverty-related stress, quarantines and social isolation, disaster and conflict-related unrest and instability, exposure to exploitative relationships due to changing demographics, reduced health service availability and access to first responders, inability of women to temporarily escape abusive partners, virus-specific sources of violence, exposure to violence and coercion in response efforts, and violence perpetrated against health care workers. We also suggest additional pathways with limited or anecdotal evidence likely to affect smaller subgroups.