Households during the coronavirus pandemic, another impact of covid

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused nearly two million cases worldwide and hundreds of thousands of people have died. Various attempts were made to reduce the number of cases, especially restrictions on movement. However, this appeal turned out to increase the number of cases of domestic violence (KDRT) to become more frequent and dangerous during the pandemic.

So, how to deal with this problem when you are "forced" to be with the perpetrator of violence?

Domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic is increasing

This pandemic, which forced people to limit their movement and keep their distance from other people, turned out not only to have an impact on physical health.

According to Nahar, Deputy for Child Protection of the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (Kemen PPPA), apart from health issues, the COVID-19 pandemic increases the risk of emotional, physical and sexual violence. This often happens to family members who are the targets of the perpetrators, including mothers and children.

The reason is, middle to lower class parents whose income comes from daily income, “work or study from home” can make their income decrease. Not a few have no income because they have been dismissed from their place of work.

What's more, the pandemic situation is making most people even more stressed. Starting from news and social media containing negative content about the outbreak, jostling at home, to the threat of losing your job.

As a result, it is not uncommon for family members to become targets of the perpetrator's anger, such as children and mothers who may be used to being at home.

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Therefore, it is not surprising that domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic has increased dramatically due to factors that make offenders stress and pour out their anger on others.

Not a few of the perpetrators tried to justify their abusive behavior by blaming other factors, including their partners.

Moreover, if they have greater strength, so that calls for isolation at home make the risk of injured victims even greater.

Risks of domestic violence in children during a pandemic

Apart from couples who experience domestic violence from the perpetrator, children can also get the same treatment during this pandemic.

This is because the child cannot "escape" to school or just hang out with friends. He is required to remain at home, seeing the harsh treatment of his parents or other family members.

According to the American Psychological Association, increased stress among parents often leads to physical abuse and neglect of their own children. This is because the resources that parents rely on, such as entrusting their children to schools or special places, are no longer available.

In fact, many child protection organizations are no longer able to visit children who may be suspected of being subjected to violence at home.

This condition can happen to anyone, including parents who may be adept at taking care of children because the bond between parent and child is being tested. As a result, the increase in domestic violence cases during the coronavirus pandemic is unavoidable.

In addition, children also experience stress and feel worried about the outbreak of this disease. Parents may feel pressured to respond to their child's behavior or demand that they perform tasks in a rude or aggressive manner.

How to deal with domestic violence during a pandemic

One of the challenges that arise when experiencing domestic violence during a pandemic is the lack of organizations that can help address this problem. Apart from restrictions on movement, this organization was also unable to move much because some of them had to lay off their employees due to lack of funds.

Meanwhile, domestic violence aka KDRT is a fairly complicated problem and the way to deal with it is not easy, especially in the midst of an outbreak like this. However, there are a few things to consider and that might help you and your partner with this problem, such as:

1. Focus more on safety

One way to deal with domestic violence during a pandemic is to start to focus more on the safety of oneself and other affected family members.

Try to listen to your heart and do something if the situation threatens the safety of yourself or your child. Try to watch for signs of abuse that your partner might do and could lead to physical abuse.

2. Set certain limits

After being able to prioritize safety, another way to deal with domestic violence during a pandemic is to set certain limits.

Setting limits on potential abusive and violent people may sound difficult. So you can start by speaking nicely and asking them to respect you, but be firm.

If the offender doesn't respect the line or feels provoked by them, this could be a sign that you need to take the next step.

In fact, there are many guides to help victims create a self-rescue plan on this particular website. Starting from preparing important documents, cash, to spare keys.

This also applies to children who experience domestic violence or send messages to others to help them deal with dangerous situations.

3. Seek help

If you have tried to set boundaries and it has not been very successful, seek help to solve the problem of domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic.

Although some organizations are not able to carry out the services as usual, there are several groups scattered online as wellhotline. It aims to help victims overcome feelings of confusion and fear of abuse and violence that they have received.

In addition, many shelters still offer consultations or therapy sessions through appropriate. Even if it's shorter than the usual therapy, at least you can get professional advice.

4. Be assertive

Domestic violence during a pandemic may not only be limited to emotional abuse, but many victims have also experienced physical abuse.

If this happens to you, it is time to act decisively even though all means have been tried to save the relationship with the perpetrator.

Immediately call the police or other emergency contacts that are still operating, such as shelters or law enforcement agencies. At least they can save you from the worst situation by separating yourself from the perpetrator.

The number of domestic violence cases during the coronavirus pandemic will indeed cause severe trauma and require assistance from law enforcement and professionals.

If you or other family members feel you are experiencing signs of abuse and violence during an outbreak, consult an expert immediately.