Submission + - SPAM: Coronavirus: 'Domestic abuse pandemic likely due to shutdown'
pgmrdlm writes: The coronavirus outbreak will lead to a "domestic abuse pandemic" as vulnerable people spend all day with their abuser during the UK's lockdown, campaigners have warned.
Strict government rules to stay home to stop Covid-19 spreading is "likely" to cause a spike in domestic abuse cases, both survivors and experts claim.
"The perpetrators and the victims would normally spend some parts of the day in work or socialising," said the founder of Stand Up To Domestic Abuse organisation.
"That could give the victims breathing space and someone to talk to.
"The children are also not in school which means they don't have a safety net — and in some cases a decent meal.
"Now they're all sharing their surroundings 24/7 with no breathing space. It will be tougher than normal."
Gwent Police chief constable Pam Kelly said she feared victims were "were suffering in silence" after seeing a drop in calls to the force.
Rev Jill-Hailey Harries, chair of Carmarthen Domestic Abuse Services said she was worried abusers would be using the coronavirus lockdown to stop their partners having any freedom.
"Another problem, if somebody is a victim of domestic abuse and they fall ill, we are concerned that the abuser might throw them out of the house, and that's quite a worry," she said.
Nazir Afzal, domestic abuse advisor to Welsh Government, said abuse has already increased elsewhere in the world when countries have been in coronavirus lockdown, saying that pattern will continue in the UK.
"It's as certain as night follows day that if there's a period where people are confined to the same space, then it creates an opportunity for the abuser to abuse," Mr Afzal said.
"There has been a 20% rise of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland, 32% in Paris and 40% in New South Wales — and they are significant increases and there will be no doubt that there will be a rise in Wales.
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Strict government rules to stay home to stop Covid-19 spreading is "likely" to cause a spike in domestic abuse cases, both survivors and experts claim.
"The perpetrators and the victims would normally spend some parts of the day in work or socialising," said the founder of Stand Up To Domestic Abuse organisation.
"That could give the victims breathing space and someone to talk to.
"The children are also not in school which means they don't have a safety net — and in some cases a decent meal.
"Now they're all sharing their surroundings 24/7 with no breathing space. It will be tougher than normal."
Gwent Police chief constable Pam Kelly said she feared victims were "were suffering in silence" after seeing a drop in calls to the force.
Rev Jill-Hailey Harries, chair of Carmarthen Domestic Abuse Services said she was worried abusers would be using the coronavirus lockdown to stop their partners having any freedom.
"Another problem, if somebody is a victim of domestic abuse and they fall ill, we are concerned that the abuser might throw them out of the house, and that's quite a worry," she said.
Nazir Afzal, domestic abuse advisor to Welsh Government, said abuse has already increased elsewhere in the world when countries have been in coronavirus lockdown, saying that pattern will continue in the UK.
"It's as certain as night follows day that if there's a period where people are confined to the same space, then it creates an opportunity for the abuser to abuse," Mr Afzal said.
"There has been a 20% rise of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland, 32% in Paris and 40% in New South Wales — and they are significant increases and there will be no doubt that there will be a rise in Wales.
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