Description
Background. For domestic violence (DV) survivors, post separation is known to be a period of heightened risk of domestic homicide. Evidence points to increased rates of DV during the COVID-19 pandemic, with specific challenges in seeking help from DV services. Yet studies that capture this qualitatively are still emerging. This study aimed to capture the experiences of DV survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study was part of a larger study investigating the support received by women through an intervention strategy called IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety) and referrals were made to this service through doctors’ surgeries.Methods. The study took place in 2019-2021 in England during the COVID-19 national lockdown. We investigated the experiences of 21 separated DV survivors at this time. The 21 survivors were interviewed using non face-to-face contact, mostly the telephone. The audio recordings were transcribed followed by NVivo coding and thematically analysed.
Findings. Inductive, thematic analysis highlighted participant’s psychological distress, isolation, fear of COVID-19 transmission and detachment from their support networks. The findings reflect the interconnected nature of adversities experienced by DV survivors and the exacerbation of these due to the insidious, multifaceted and synergistic impacts of DV and the pandemic.
Conclusions. The study captured the unique experiences of DV survivors during the pandemic. We identified aggravation or development of mental health conditions, financial instability, complexities of post-separation parenting, impeded access to DV and medical services, and post-separation abuse. Participants reported increased levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness. Some participants experienced reduced accessibility, quality and effectiveness of care, whilst conflictingly, others reported that quarantine measure offered an additional layer of protection from their abusers. The presentation is likely to appeal to those wanting to learn about survivors’ experiences of DV and DV services during the pandemic.
| Period | 11 Sept 2023 |
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| Held at | European Conference on Domestic Violence |
| Degree of Recognition | International |