Skip to content
openDemocracy
Subscribe

The COVID-19 domestic violence crisis in the UK is a decade in the making

Domestic violence under coronavirus is a hot topic, but we mustn't forget how we got here. Politicians ripped our safety net to pieces.

By Nandini Naira Archer
The COVID-19 domestic violence crisis in the UK is a decade in the making
Sisters Uncut storm the BAFTA red carpet in London in February 2018 | Ray Tang/Zuma Press/PA Images
Published:
Share

Domestic violence risks amidst COVID-19 are rightly getting mass attention, as women have been locked up with their abusers and shelters are receiving a record number of calls for help. But where was this concern for women before the pandemic?

Even in 'normal' times, domestic violence is a crisis. And while the current situation is unprecedented, and horrific, it wasn't inevitable.

A recent poll by Amnesty UK found that 72% of people think the government should do more to protect domestic abuse survivors. 65% think it should provide more funding to support them during the pandemic.

This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International licence. If you have any queries about republishing please contact us. Please check individual images for licensing details.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0