First major study on the experiences of women and children

Domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic

This first major German study on this topic shows:

Physical violence: 3.1 percent of the women was involved in at least one form of physical conflict in the home, for instance being beaten. In 6.5 percent of all households, children were subjected to corporal punishment.

Sexual violence: 3.6 percent of women were forced into sex by their partners.

Emotional violence: 3.8 percent of the women felt threatened by their partners and 2.2 percent were not permitted to leave their home without permission. In 4.6 percent of all cases, the partners controlled the women's contacts with others, including digital channels such as messenger services.

A comparison of these figures with pre-pandemic data would not be conclusive because past studies surveyed experiences of violence over longer periods, but not after a period of only a few weeks.

The number of victims, in the case of both women and children, was higher when:

• the survey respondents were quarantined at home (physical violence against women: 7.5%, physical violence against children: 10.5%).
• the family suffered from acute financial insecurity (physical violence against women: 8.4 %, physical violence against children: 9.8 %).
• one partner had working hours reduced or had become unemployed due to the pandemic (physical violence against women: 5.6%, physical violence against children: 9.3 %).
• one of the partners was suffering from anxiety or depression (physical violence against women: 9.7 %, physical violence against children: 14.3 %).
• respondents were living in households with children under 10 years of age (physical violence against women: 6.3 %, physical violence against children: 9.2 %).

Based on these risk factors, the researchers made several recommendations for current and possible future lockdowns and distancing policies during a potential "second wave" of the pandemic: "Emergency childcare services should be set up that are open not only to the children of parents in essential occupations," says Janina Steinert. "Because depression and anxiety increase the potential for violence, psychological counseling and therapy should also be available online and should be easily accessible without red tape. Women's shelters and other support facilities must continue to be classified as essential services."

The researchers also asked whether the women concerned were aware of and utilized support services:

• 48.2 percent of the victims were aware of counseling helplines and 3.9 percent had placed a call.
• 32.4 percent were aware of the domestic violence hotline and 2.7 percent had called the number to find help.
• 44.3 percent were aware of the parental distress line and 21.5 percent had placed a call there.  
• 5.5 percent were aware of the "Codewort Maske 19" campaign, in which pharmacists contact the authorities when a customer uses a code word. 1.8 percent had made use of this possibility.

"When women are coercively controlled by their partners, it is difficult for them to access telephone-based counseling services. For these women, help should also be available online via chat, messenger, and email," says Cara Ebert. "In addition, more needs to be done to raise awareness of the available support services, for example through large posters in supermarkets and pharmacies and through online ads."