Surviving COVID19 (Increased Domestic Violence, Marginalized Communities, and Innovative Solutions)

Surviving COVID19 (Increased Domestic Violence, Marginalized Communities, and Innovative Solutions) Domestic violence generally refers to violence occurring between residences within one single location. Intimate partner violence is domestic violence by a current or former spouse or partner in an intimate relationship against the other spouse or partner. IPV can take several forms, including physical, verbal, emotional, economic, and sexual abuse. According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, use of victim services, contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, etc.2 DV/IPV disproportionate affect communities of color and other marginalized groups. According to a report from the Violence Policy Center (Langley & Sugarmann, 2014:1), in 2011, the homicide rate for Black female victims (4.54 per 100,000) was more than three times higher than the homicide rate for White female victims. (1.45 per 100,000). Additionally, a study revealed high rates of intimate partner violence among the LGBTQ community. Bisexual women in particular reported experiencing sexual violence at rates twice that of their heterosexual counterparts. Lesbians and gay men also reported starkly higher incidents of violence than straight people (CDC, 2013). This is important because as COVID19 cases begin to rise the government put in to stay-at-home orders leaving victims of domestic violence vulnerable and trapped with their preparators. This limited their access to technology, medical care, family, and friends. Marginalized communities face higher forms of oppression and experience greater difficulties gaining access to resources in comparison to their white counterparts when reporting IPV. Black women’s mistrust of the police causes them to turn to sisterhood, family, and often the Black church when reporting IPV. Whereas, the LGBTQA populations are less likely to report abuse because of fear of discrimination or being outed to their friends (CDC, 2013). The purpose of this article is to explore: In what ways have COVID19 impacted victims of DV/IPV due to the stay-at-home orders? How does intersectional oppression further exacerbated victims of IPV receiving access to social services during COVID19? What innovative practices and solutions should family members, community leaders, and stakeholders implement for victims of IPV during the COVID19 pandemic? This study uses a systematic review of articles and is based on the conventional scientific standards of preferred reporting procedures for systematic reviews. Findings indicate that DV/IPV victims have experienced increased rates of violence since the onset of the stay-at-home orders. Also, marginalized groups have been more negatively impacted by COVID19 when compared to their counterparts. The data also reveals that other countries have successfully identified solutions for DV/IPV victims to help these vulnerable populations gain access to victims' services that can be replicated here in America. This article clearly identifies barriers that exist for DV/IPV victims of color and provides innovative solutions for these populations to be able to better access social services. The COVID19 pandemic has shown the world that it’s imperative to adapt and implement innovative practices and policies that are designed to save lives and decrease the overall rates of DV/IPV globally.