Updated.
March 29, 2020 12: 36:34
As a rise in family violence due to the coronavirus crisis is set to strain a currently seriously overstretched social support group, some abusers are apparently using COVID-19 as a psychological weapon.
Key points:
- Social services organisations are getting reports that abusers are utilizing the coronavirus-related dangers as a form of emotional-physical abuse
- Some social workers are confused about what they are allowed to do under coronavirus limitations
- The chair of the Royal Commission into Family Violence is concerned that momentum to reform the sector will be halted by the crisis
” Wrongdoers have really utilized COVID-19 as a type of abuse, telling their partner that they have the virus therefore they can’t leave the house.
With victims being cooped up with their abusers and homes being turned into pressure cookers due to coronavirus constraints, frontline domestic violence employees have already seen a dive in domestic and household violence cases
” People who were vulnerable are now more vuln
