No Safe Haven: Domestic Violence In The Covid – 19
Saaif Rasul:
The Covid -19 pandemic is affecting everywhere around the world. It is attacking different groups of people and bringing to the fore existing inequalities. The pandemic has not only a huge death rate[1] but also has ruined our socio-economic consequences for different groups such as people, women children and ethnic people.
However the safest place home is being the most unsafe place for one group of human who may suffer differently and continuously from this social distancing and home quarantine. According to the DVPP[2] Section 3 “domestic violence means physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse or economic abuse against a women or a child of a family by any other person of that family with whom victim is or has been in family relationship.” The Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh guarantees the fundamental rights of all, which include the right to be free all discriminatory practices and the protection of law, which includes all types of violence. Allowing the state to take affirmative action for the protection of women and children[3]
Now the question why the domestic violence increasing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO)[4] , the distribution of livelihoods and ability to earn a living decreases access to basic needs and services. As resources become scarcer, vulnerable women are experiencing economic abuse, finding to harder to leave abuse. It shows that in emergencies in conflict, economic crisis or during disease outbreak, there has been a repeated pattern of increase in domestic abuse, therefore abusers and their partner having to isolate together at home may be lead to rise in new and pre existing abusive behaviour and violence. Researchers, found that domestic violence grow up whenever families member spend more time together, such as public holidays, summer vacation and also a large number of vacation. According to the World Health Organization, “one in every three women around the world experience physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner”.[5] Further research has been identified that during this self quarantine period the risk of domestic violence escalates as perpetrators seek to maintain a sense of power and control in the lives. That’s why the risk of domestic violence has been increased because of COVID – 19.
The Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Women[6] ‘the very technique we are using to protect people from the virus can perversely impact victims of domestic violence’. Such countries have already taken necessary initiatives steps to protect women and child from violence. They have actively known the increased risks of domestic violence during isolation and are making ongoing announcements about helplines and shelter homes.
The situations are undoubtedly no different in Bangladesh. According to the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF)[7] Bangladesh has a significant number of reported and unreported cases of domestic violence that includes different forms of abuses like as physical, financial, verbal, psychological and sexual. In case of domestic abuse, it happens at the hand of members of the family who abuse, assault, humiliate and torture women and children. Because of the countrywide general holidays, restricted walking outside vulnerable women and children are trapped within the confines of their homes.
In this pandemic on 15 April, Obaidul Haque painted a vivid picture of this social disease with blood. Despite having to the love of his life for five years, he murdered his wife Tahmina Akhter streamed the whole incident live on Facebook.[8] Another a young and educated women Rubaba shared her experience with “The Business Standard” Married to a schizophrenic patient undergoing psychiatric treatment, her life quickly turned violent when the Bangladesh enforced shutdown.
So, when husband stays at home and can’t go outside, he has turned skittish, aggressive and violent. He often beats and abuses her wife whenever he gets stressed and frustrated. When women receive their more education and contribute their income in their household, the number of domestic violence reduced. On the other hand, if the women live in areas with negative gender norms, their empowerment may threaten their partners’ household status and increase the risk of domestic violence.
This lock down pertaining to the prevention of the Covid – 19 spread in Bangladesh has essentially shattered support networks, making it far difficult for the victims to get help. One immediate effect of being confined with the abuser is not only are women vulnerable to domestic abuse but are also make an emergency call in fear of being overheard by the abuser. The national helpline for violence against women and children is 109. It is a toll free number and available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week from all parts of Bangladesh. Anyone can report through via messages too.
This family violence that women go through in the society is basically a result of age old patriarchal structure prevailing in Bangladesh. The extent in so much that even in the term of natural disaster like as Covid – 19 as corona virus which is the most unpredictable incident that has occurred across the globe, women and children having a tough time staying home. Therefore the onus is now on the government while putting the plans together to respond one of the biggest disaster mankind has ever faced called as Covid – 19, the issues of domestic violence must be prioritized. It is an urgent call for Bangladesh to take immediate steps to protect women and children by expanding the appropriate support services. Gender equality and rights of women and children are essential to get through this pandemic together, to recover faster and to build a better future for everyone.
The writer is a Student of Department of Law and Human Rights; University of Asia Pacific
[1] https://www.newagebd.net/article/103274/coronavirus-fatality-rate-highest-in-bangladesh
[2] Domestic Violence Prevention and protection Act, 2010
[3] Article 28(4)
[4] https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/violence-against-women-during-covid-19
[5] https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/emergencies/COVID-19-VAW-full-text.pdf
[6] https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/5/statement-by-lakshmi-puri-on-violence-against-women-across-the-european-union
[7] http://www.manusherjonno.org/latest_stories/corona-situation-increases-violence-against-women-in-the-country-mjf-urges-the-government-to-take-effective-measures/
