Violence against women and girls at home affects millions globally. The problem is particularly pervasive as it occurs in a space women and girls should feel most secure.
The problem only worsened with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, with sharp rises in domestic violence globally. Countries that managed some degree of success against COVID-19, were not left untouched by the accompanying scourge of domestic violence.
Helping women looking to extricate themselves from abusive and violent relationships. Her work became more critical during the COVID-19 lock down and travel restrictions, which left many women confined with their abusers at home.
The Office on Women’s Health, part of the Department of Health and Human Services of United States, lists 11 signs of emotional, or nonphysical, abuse, including humiliating victims, monitoring what they are doing, discouraging them from seeing friends or relatives, constantly accusing them of cheating, and telling them what to eat or wear. “Name-calling” and “constant criticism” has been added to that list later.
Domestic Violence Is More Dangerous Than Any Pandemic For Most Women
Taking the advantage of the unpredictability of the pandemic, trapping a victim in her home, blaming her for the abuse, damaging objects, threatening to hurt loved ones or pets, and “gaslighting” (distorting the victim’s reality by, for example, denying past events or saying the abuse is “all in your head”) has been increasingly prevalent.
The 1300 Hotline, managed by the UN Ministry of Social Development, is supported through a United Nations-European Union partnership and implemented by a number of UN agencies, including UN-Women
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