Award Title: An investigation into the experiences of domestic abuse helpline staff and service users during COVID-19 lockdown
Funder: Economic and Social Research Council

Abstract: Initial reports illustrate that lockdown measures have been associated with a substantial increase in the prevalence and severity of domestic abuse (DA). However, no research has examined potential changes in the nature of DA or the impact of lockdown on victims and others in the home. This is important to aid in the development of support plans for victims of abuse going forward. Furthermore, in the context of lockdown, DA helplines (including call, text and email services) became an ever more crucial avenue for victim support, in the absence of access to previously available face-to-face or community-based support services. As previous research indicates the potential negative impacts of supporting victims of abuse on the psychological health of helpline staff, this could be exacerbated due to increased service demand during lockdown. It is therefore imperative that research seeks to determine the impact that increased pressure faced by DAHs may have had on helpline staff wellbeing to determine further support and training needs. Findings from this research will aid the UK government and support organisations in developing a plan of action to support both those living with DA and those working at helplines. It will act as a guide when making policy decisions regarding the level and nature of support needed as we navigate through ongoing lockdown threat and emerge from the pandemic.

This project aims to identify the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on DAH service users and staff. Through three important phases, this research will address these key issues: 

1) Identify potential changes in the frequency, severity, and nature of lockdown-related abuse from the perspective of DAH staff and service users. 
2) Examine the impact of increased service demand on the psychological health of DAH staff. 
3) Examine the impact of lockdown-related abuse on others within the home (children and pets).
4) Examine the impact of lockdown-related abuse on the psychological health of service users. 
5) Identify changes required to provide ongoing support for both DAH staff and service users.

Aim of Phase 1 (interviews with helpline staff): Provide novel insight into the nature of calls received during lockdown from the perspective of DAH staff regarding: lockdown-related changes in domestic abuse (DA) patterns; factors influencing changes in abuse patterns; commonalities across organisations; and impact of increased service demand on their own psychological health. Importantly, we will identify changes needed to provide ongoing support for DAH staff during and beyond COVID-19.

Aim of phase 2 (anonymous online survey with service users): Provide novel insight into the experiences of, and impact of lockdown measures on, service users to determine any lockdown-related changes in abuse experiences. We will examine their perceptions of the impact of COVID restrictions on abuse-related behaviours, access to social support, factors related to others in the home (children, pets), and the impact of these circumstances on their psychological health.

Aim of phase 3 (interviews with service users): expand upon their answers in the survey, providing more in-depth insight into their experiences of abuse during lockdown, and provide an indication of ongoing support requirements.

Lay Abstract: Mobility restrictions enforced by the UK Government in since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 have resulted in those vulnerable to domestic abuse being confined in isolation with their abusers, deprived of safe spaces or opportunities for help or support. Domestic abuse helplines saw a substantial increase in the service provision required to support victims of domestic abuse during the last year, in particular, during episodes of 'lockdown'. UK charity Refuge reported a 700% increase in traffic to their support website and a 120% in calls received in April 2020, compared to the previous year. While research begins to emerge on the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on rates of domestic abuse, no studies have yet provided insight into the experiences of those living with abusive partners or of the domestic abuse helpline staff required to provide support. Together, these two elements are crucial to understanding the true impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on domestic abuse victims, others within their home, and helpline staff. Through developing an understanding of these impacts, the UK government and support organisations can establish a plan of action to support those living with domestic abuse appropriately as we move in and out of the pandemic. 

This project will collect data in three phases to address this gap in knowledge. Phase 1 will involve remote interviews with 15 domestic abuse helpline staff. Interview transcripts will be analysed narratively and thematically, identifying patterns in the nature of calls received, impact of increased demand on the wellbeing of domestic abuse helpline staff, and emerging support needs. Simultaneously, data collection phase 2 will occur. Phase 2 will involve a survey distributed to 200 domestic abuse helpline service users investigating the impact of lockdown on the instance and severity of abuse, the impact of/on others in the home and mental health and wellbeing outcomes. Results will be analysed using frequency analysis, inferential statistics and content analysis. In phase 3, 15 service users will be invited to engage in a final wave of remote interviews to provide more in-depth elaboration on survey responses and elicit views regarding ongoing support requirements. We have confirmed involvement from 5 domestic abuse helplines who will facilitate participant recruitment. 

The three data collection phases in this research are critical to understanding the lived impact of lockdown on domestic abuse helpline staff and service users. This will be vital in the development and refinement of long-term strategies in the UK for improving support provision for victims and ensuring support staff have the tools required to provide adequate support. Findings will be disseminated to policy-makers, practice organisations, academics, and service users through a variety of outputs including policy briefing papers, online workshops, journal articles, and publicly available infographic documents. these will act as a crucial guide for policy decision-making regarding support needs emerging from the pandemic and beyond.

Research Activity Codes: 2.3 PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS;8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health Categories: MENTAL HEALTH;INFECTION