Intimate Partner Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Impending Public Health Crisis in Africa

Özet

With COVID-19 officially declared a global pandemic and changing the social, economic, and political dynamics worldwide, countries are taking different measures to tackle its spread to save lives, which now comesas the number one priority. Different countries are in lockdown with travel restricted and quarantine, selfisolation, and social distancing measures in place. Other than key workers who are allowed to travel for work,people are stuck at home for extended periods of time with access to only their immediate family. Much asthese measures have been beneficial in flattening the curve and therefore proved effective in tackling thespread of COVID-19, however, they have, been associated with an increase in the reported cases of IntimatePartner Violence (IPV) across the world, and this poses another public health challenge. With African countriesalready registering some of the highest global prevalence rates of IPV, it is essential to explore the impact ofthe COVID-19 measures will have on IPV in Africa