RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Amid the pandemic, a harsh reality, masked in many homes, now becomes more visible. The number of cases of violence against women has grown substantially throughout the world in this period when countries have implemented the required social isolation measures to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus.
In the state of Rio de Janeiro, the picture is no different. According to data from the State Court of Justice (TJRJ), there has been an increase of approximately 50 percent in the number of cases of violence against women after the start of the social isolation recommendations in the state in March.
A survey by the Institute of Social Medicine of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (IMS/UERJ) with the support of the FAPERJ (Research Foundation of the State of Rio de Janeiro) calls attention to the nature of the situation, such as psychological pressure and underreporting of cases.
“For most people, staying home in this time of quarantine is synonymous with protection. But for many women, of different ages and economic circumstances, who also have to deal with the fear of contamination by the virus, quarantine represents the challenge of remaining locked up with the aggressor in their own home 24 hours a day,” said doctor and professor Claudia Leite de Moraes, of IMS/UERJ and the Graduate Course in Family Health of Estácio de Sá University.
The specialist coordinates the Family Violence Epidemiological Research Programme (PIEVF) at the university, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019.
According to the United Nations Organization (UN Women), even before the global spread of the coronavirus, one-third of women worldwide have experienced some form of violence in their lives, whether physical or psychological. In Brazil, it is no different.
“It is worth noting that many cases of violence against women are underreported because victims are afraid and reluctant to denounce it, as well as the real challenge of face-to-face contact with women’s protection organizations during the pandemic period,” Moraes added.
The psychological pressure, which builds up with the news about the spread of the pandemic, and the increase in the time spent with the aggressor, are only some of the factors associated with violence against women during the quarantine.
According to Moraes, “the increased stress and the overload of work at home for the woman, who is often the main or the only one in charge of caring for family members, are some of the factors that promote the occurrence of violence in homes where the main form of communication is already violence. The longer time spent with the aggressors, who have greater control and power over the victim, and the reduction of contact with the psychosocial network of individual and collective support, such as friends, family, work, and schools, also increase the risk of violence.”
The economic conjuncture itself also contributes to aggravating domestic tensions. The loss of jobs mainly affects women, who are centered in the service sector, which is most impacted by the crisis, and still represent the majority of the casual (unregistered) workforce in the market, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
“In addition to the restrictions on movement resulting from quarantine, financial constraints, and the feeling of insecurity encourage abusers, giving them additional power and control. Alcohol and drug abuse, more common in crises, also compounds the framework that can lead to the escalation and occurrence of new cases of violence,” Moraes summarized.
Given situations of violence against women, Cláudia de Moraes highlights the significance of increased attention from neighbors and family members during confinement.
“Particularly during this period of social isolation, neighbors, friends, and family members have to realize that reporting is necessary for a fight between husband and wife. They are often the ones in the best position to report violence since they are not directly exposed to the aggressors. They must be very attentive to suspicious situations, such as shouting, crying, loud arguments, and threats. Anonymous reports can prevent more serious situations and even deaths,” she warned.
Regarding the care by family members, Moraes said:
“Family members should be suspicious of situations such as sudden loss of contact over the phone and social media. It is important for women in violent circumstances to seek social isolation with other family members, and to avoid being alone with the aggressor”.
The researcher highlights that, during this quarantine moment, it is crucial to organize institutional networks for remote support, with channels for remote assistance to women victims of violence, through the Internet and by telephone.
“At the start of quarantine, public bodies and support networks had to hurriedly organize themselves to provide this type of remote assistance to women. Many of these worked only face-to-face, but now it is possible to report abuse and offenses over the Internet, even through apps, and over the telephone, even anonymously,” Claudia noted.
In addition to the channels for reporting by telephone (Dial 180, specialized in assisting women in situations of violence; Dial 100, for reports of human rights violations; and Dial 190, from the State Police) and through the Internet (Prosecutor’s Office), the Federal Government in March released the “Human Rights Brazil” app to receive reports of domestic violence.
Recently, the Ministry of Women, Family, and Human Rights (MMFDH) released an informative booklet focusing on violence against women during this period.
The booklet aims to raise women’s awareness about potentially violent situations and provide assistance channels at this time, as well as means of reporting suspected cases by neighbors and family members. The Rio de Janeiro State Magistrate’s School also released a booklet, which can be accessed here.
In addition to these channels, the women’s police stations and ordinary police stations operate 24 hours a day.