Content warning: discussion of violence
The pandemic has impacted our lives in so many ways, with many of those changes here to stay. Throughout the harder times, we have seen some of the best in people. However, for others the pandemic exacerbated existing issues and, in some cases, created new ones.
Recent research from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) explored the impact the pandemic has had on family violence, with findings showing a substantial increase in the number of incidents of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) during the first 12 months.
The survey, which surveyed 10,000 Australian women, also revealed that one in ten respondents had experienced physical violence and threats from their current or most recent partner in the previous 12 months.
The most common forms of violence included pushing, shoving, biting, hitting or kicking. In this group, one in three people reported physical violence associated with significant negative health outcomes.
These findings, while shocking, form just a small part of a wider ongoing study that demonstrates a worrying increase in family violence during the pandemic.
As a health service, we often see presentations of IPV, through disclosures or identified by our trained employees.
The good news is as healthcare workers, our response to those experiencing family violence can have a significant impact on their health and safety. By building our ability to identify and respond to family violence, we can make a real difference.
Our Family Violence team runs regular training sessions for clinicians and managers, and there are numerous resources available on the Monash Health COVID-19 website.
Approved by Adj Prof Katrina Nankervis