Disappointingly, domestic violence has always been an issue in Australia and around the world. 

While the stay at home era has been a wonderful time indoors with loved ones, it hasn’t necessarily been the case for those who are victims of domestic violence. If anything, COVID-19 has become a breeding ground for it. 

For many families and women who were already experiencing domestic abuse before this pandemic, the news of lockdown restrictions was the worst news imaginable.  

As we start to phase out the lockdown, Domestic Violence is a subject we need to start speaking about more in the hope that anyone that has suffered feels supported and knows where and how they can seek the help they need.  

To do this, we welcome our special guest, Dr. Lurve a psychology expert specialising in relationships. With many of her clients experiencing Domestic Violence, Dr Lurve will talk to us today about the fears around personal safety for anyone who has suffered abuse during the COVID epidemic 

We ask Dr Lurve questions including: 

1. Can you help define what is domestic violence is?  Is it restricted to physical abuse only? If not, what else constitutes abuse by a perpetrator? 
2. How has this time of self-quarantine due to the Coronavirus pandemic impacted the increase in Domestic Violence? 
3. As a relationship expert you would be aware more than anyone else that during the lockdown, families would have experienced pressures for the first time.
4. As a relationship expert you would be aware more than anyone else that during the lockdown, families would have experienced pressures for the first time.s caused a lot of stress on many levels. Abuse may be something that has resulted from the pressures associated with the pandemic, such as substance abuse.  What advice do you have for someone in this situation at the moment? 
5. What about neighbours, friends and family. As lockdown restrictions are beginning to lift, what do you suggest someone should do if they find out and or suspect a loved one has been a victim of abuse during COVID-19? 
6. During the last few weeks interestingly, there has not been an increase in calls to helplines, and there was not an increase of cases being reported to authorities.  This was because victims had little access to resources, restrictions for seeing health care professionals and lack of visibility in the community, The majority of violence during COVID-19 has been undetected which means they were not being reported to authorities. If someone experienced abuse during lockdown, where do you suggest they start? 
7. A large majority of family violence cases are reported by early educators and school teachers as it is mandatory for them to notify authorities about children who are being abused in the home. With the phasing back with a return to school, do you think that teachers may see an increase of cases? 
8. One of the questions we hear time and time again is “Why doesn't she just leave?” We need to stop blaming survivors for staying and start supporting them. Why do so many victims of abuse stay? How can we support them better? 
9. One of the most common reasons why domestic violence ended in serious injury and in some cases domestic homicide was because the victim was separated from the person who killed her, or she was getting ready to separate from him. What needs to change to stop this from happening 

For Dr Lurve's full article please visit: https://kiddipedia.com.au/increase-in-domestic-violence-at-this-time-of-self-quarantine-due-to-covid-19/

Connect with Rachel on Instagram here  @kiddipedia/