Cox: Increase in gender-based violence during pandemic

Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox has described an upsurge in cases of gender-based violence as a “shadow pandemic” as she referred to a doubling in the number of assault cases reported between 2019 and 2021.

At the Family Planning Association’s virtual report to the nation on Wednesday, Cox said the statistics were troubling.

She said women and girls were disproportionately affected by gender-based violence during times of crisis, compared to men and boys. She also said the restrictive measures introduced, together with socio-economic factors, led to the increase in reports which, in turn, challenged existing facilities for victims of abuse.

"Data from the national domestic violence registry show that assault by beating, verbal abuse, malicious damage and breach of protection orders are by far the most common offences associated with domestic violence.

"These have increased by over 30 per cent in some cases and, for example, assault by beating doubled in 2021 from 450 reported cases in 2019 to 865 in 2020, and was already close to 865 in March 2021. Sadly, it must be noted that these are only reported cases.

"This is the shadow pandemic growing amidst the covid19 crisis, and there is certainly the need for a global collective effort to bring it to an end.

"As covid19 cases continue to strain health services, other services such as domestic violence shelters and help lines have reached capacity."

Despite the strain, Cox said programmes to assist parents in co-parenting, as well as grandparents raising grandchildren, have continued.

She also noted that from January 2020 to December 2021, 234 people who experienced domestic violence have received counselling.

Cox said while her ministry continues to find ways of strengthening existing support systems and programmes, initiatives were underway to address people in need of support.

She said her ministry intends to launch a suicide prevention and crisis hotline, adding that they were also prepared to enhance the work of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in addressing gender-based violence through a specialised unit.

"The plan to launch this hotline was conceived with a clear understanding that the hopelessness often felt by those experiencing gender-based violence can result in suicide.

"The truth is that all sectors of society have a role to play in bringing this shadow pandemic under control.

"The ministry's NGO unit is capably resourced and open to collaborations that would provide support to NGO's, faith-based organisations and civil society organisations to ensure the effectively and efficiently deliver services to their target population.

"The unit provides subventions, one off grant funding, capacity building and also facilitates the exchange of information and how organisations uch as yours may become more responsive to those most in need."

Permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Gender and Child Affairs Jacinta Bailey-Sobers said her office also noted an increase in reported assaults and domestic violence during the pandemic.

Referring to the recent lifting of some public health restrictions, Bailey-Sobers said the need for robust mechanisms were needed now more than ever.

"As we now prepare ourselves to return to a new state of normalcy this week, we removed a number of (public health) protocols, there is a continuing need for flexibility in how we engage those in need of a safety net.

"The government remains committed to achieving gender equality through policies and programmes even in the midst of the pandemic."

She said despite the challenges her office has been able to compile data to form a national domestic violence registry while hosting public information campaigns and rehabilitation programmes for perpetrators of domestic violence.