Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
Volume 30, Issue 4, Pages 1022-1032Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/inm.12876
Keywords
COVID-19; disaster; domestic violence; pandemic; trauma; violence
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This paper discusses the vulnerability and violence towards specific groups of people during disasters, emphasizing the potential exacerbation of family violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. It calls for mental health professionals to be aware of this issue and involve at-risk groups in disaster response and community planning to prevent violence.
Disasters including public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic are known to increase instances of family violence against women, children, and other diverse populations. This paper discusses and provides evidence of disaster-related vulnerability of and violence towards specific groups of people. We argue that the COVID-19 pandemic presents the 'perfect storm' for family violence, where a set of rare circumstances combine, resulting in a significant aggravation of the resulting event. Given the mental health implications of family violence, mental health professionals need to be aware of this issue during the pandemic and ready to assist with the development of strategies to overcome the situation where possible. To provide protection and prevent violence, there is a need to include at-risk groups in disaster response and community planning. Such a plan could involve gender and disaster working groups at the local community, state, and national levels.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available