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A certain item purchased at the grocery store, a hand signal made during a video call, a numeric code pressed when dialing an emergency service like 911, or a specific word used at the pharmacy. All seem innocuous enough, but all are innovative ways that people experiencing domestic abuse can alert clerks and others that they need help.

The measures were developed and implemented around the world when it became clear that restrictions put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19 were helping fuel a rise in domestic violence, something the United Nations has called a “shadow pandemic.” Quarantines and lockdowns, for example, meant that people living in abusive relationships could be forced to remain in their homes and limit their contact with friends and family. Studies have shown that such restrictions can isolate vulnerable people and limit their chances of safely leaving an abusive situation. Because of that, groups that provide help for victims of abuse have had to come up with different and more discreet ways to reach out and offer assistance.

Dr. Lori Weeks, a gerontologist at Dalhousie University’s School of Nursing, decided to examine the issue after hearing stories about both the rise in violence and the ways in which service providers were adapting so they could still connect with people in abusive environments during the pandemic.

On June 23, 2020, Dr. Weeks and her research team used a database to scan French and English media reports on initiatives developed to support women experiencing domestic abuse. The team sifted through thousands of news items and found more than 50 unique reports outlining new ways people could seek help, including those involving technology-mediated services, partnerships with essential services like grocery stores, and the provision of housing and supportive legal resources.

Dr. Weeks, who documented her work in a new report, is available to discuss the surprising range of measures and ‘silent solutions’ created soon after the pandemic was declared and which are now being shared with service providers to help them support victims of abuse.

The French version of the report is available here:

https://www.unb.ca/mmfc/_assets/documents/initiativesforwomenduringcovid19fr.pdf

Media Contact:
Alison Auld
Senior Research Reporter
Dalhousie University
Cell: 1-902-220-0491
Email: alison.auld@dal.ca