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Increased Abuse cases during Lockdown

On the face of a medical and economic crisis of global proportions, one of the few silver linings on a very dark cloud was that the lockdown allowed some a much needed respite from the busy work schedules of offices, colleges and schools. It allowed them to breathe for some time in the warm company of their loved ones in the comfort of their homes. But unfortunately, even this slim positive is not without its dark side, with a sharp increase in cases of abuse witnessed in households all over the country.
Even in the words of Supreme Court Judge, Justice N V Ramana, in a webinar, the pandemic has “affected rights of women, children and senior citizens”, “The lockdown has itself created psychological issues and violence within the family. Women have been burdened with more work; children have been unable to go to schools.” He mentioned, “One of the critical areas which has come to our notice was rising violence within the family itself…we also saw an increase in the number of instances of child abuse.” According to an analysis done by Hindustan Times, in the second week of April, the Delhi police alone recorded whopping 2446 calls to emergency helplines, in which about 600 were for “women abuse”, 23 were from rape, while 1612 were for cases of domestic abuse. Apart from women, according to a recent report, about 92000 SOS calls were received in the first week of the lockdown alone by the government child helpline, asking for help from violence and abuse. The causes behind these spikes are manyfold: withdrawal from alcohol and tobacco, loss of jobs and work opportunities, increased exposure to abusive atmosphere due to shutting of schools, colleges etc, but the results regardless stay heart-wrenchingly tragic.
So, what can be done when faced with such situations? Sadly, not a lot. For victims, it is extremely important to keep reminding themselves it’s not their fault and to not try to justify the perpetrators’ actions. Reporting such cases to the authorities needs to be considered seriously, especially in extreme situations. If not possible, try to confide in someone they trust like a family member or close friend, in case of emergencies so someone can get help if needed as well as for emotional support and morale. If you’re not a victim, constantly look out for signs of abuse in family members and close friends, and provide support through in any way possible. It’s a grim time, and not being alone right now might just make it just that easier to get through.

Child Helpline No: 1098
Women’s Helpline No: 1091

- Adil for India Against COVID

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