SKUGGPANDEMIN: Socialarbetares bild av Covid-19 pandemins konsekvenser för våldsutsatta kvinnor

Abstract

The year 2020 turned out very differently than most expected. The Covid-19 pandemic incited stay-at-home directives, social distancing and other restrictions in a world-wide attempt to stop the spread of the virus. Early on, social workers and other professions recognised the danger of isolation for already vulnerable groups. This study aims to investigate the effects of Covid-19 on intimate partner violence. Specifically, it looks at how the nature of intimate partner violence has changed and how it has affected women and their ability to leave. A qualitative study was conducted using eight semi-structured interviews with people who have worked with battered women during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study uses feminist theory, the normalization process theory and coercive control to interpret the results. Using thematic analysis, the results showed that several professionals have seen variation in the number of women seeking help and the type of violence they have experienced. Furthermore, the results suggest that the stay-at-home directives, working from home and increased unemployment have affected intimate partner violence. The common themes include changes in violent behaviour, difficulty leaving, economic effects of the pandemic, mental health, and delayed effects of the pandemic on intimate partner violence. In conclusion, we found that isolation has made battered women’s situation more difficult, and it has affected their ability to leave. While we can’t generalise to a wider population, we believe this is important for future research and we believe social workers need to be aware of how battered women have been affected by the pandemic.