COVID-19 is a gendered crisis

Maria Kelly

COVID-19 disproportionately impacts women and girls.

​Reduced access to protective services, higher rates of unemployment, and a greater burden of domestic duties leave women at greater risk of violence, privately and publicly. 

In April 2020, data from the United Nations Population Fund predicted at least
​15 million more cases of domestic violence globally this year, as a result of pandemic restrictions.

Stress on families has risen, while freedom of movement and privacy have decreased, leaving women already experiencing violence in their home particularly vulnerable. 

Here in Australia, new data from the NSW Government suggests that domestic violence has risen, with a 10% increase in access to support services in March.
​
In Nepal, despite 1 in 4 women experiencing emotional, physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes, reports of gender-based violence to the police have dropped drastically since lockdown. Disturbingly, this suggests women are struggling to access help, with loss of funding and disruption to support services.

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