Domestic abuse and violence have seen increased rates across the U.S since 2020. The pandemic, social isolation, lack of resources, these are all major contributing factors that may lead to a domestic relationship taking a bad turn.
Rates of abuse have increased by more than 50% for marginalized groups in specific. This is a massive increase and comes along with a higher chance for unemployment and infection. This all points to a greater set of causes that marginalized groups are most affected by.
Unemployment, health issues, restricted movement, and online resources have all boomed since the pandemic. People are isolated and they have no means to change that. For abuse victims, this creates a scary outcome. There are no public spaces for people to notice and reach out in, there are no in person meetings where one could request help. People are isolated and unhappy, conditions that foster abusive relationships.
It’s not all hopeless though, there are ways to help. The easiest yet most important is being aware of your own relationship and open to those close to you. Look for warning signs, unreasonable jealousy, attempts at control of one’s personal, social, or sex life, and emotional manipualtion. These are all big red flags.
On top of that though, be there for people if they need you. Keep an open mind but ask if they need help and what you can do. On top of that a really active role one can take is by being aware and supporting local organizations. These will raise awareness for a community at large, less than 1 in 10 people contact a victim service provider when in an abusive relationship. Most people aren’t even aware they exist.
Domestic abuse has been steadily on the rise, but it’s through awareness that that process can stop or even be reverted.
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