“Locked up in lock down” is a journey we will go on and look into the effects of the quarantine / lockdown from a different perspective.
The angle I would like to focus on is how lockdown has effected a day to day home and the potential increase of domestic abuse this will impact.
” but why” I hear you think, well its simple really.
In my lockdown period I experienced some of the best times of my life playing tennis, afternoon naps, midday cocktails. It then hit me that other people are having a completely different experience.
Children who only had school meals to look forward too or school was an escape from their oppressor, the spouse trapped in a toxic relationship and now can not even go the local post office, pub or even a comforting neighbour or family member. So while is was playing tennis and sipping mid-day mojitos this was also going on.
To do this we will look at documented evidence Also look into key workers in this area and see what they have to say regarding the matter. We can research into public records to obtain statistical evidence.
It would be an insult to my intelligence if I was too say I wish we could all live happy like a Disney movie but that’s not reality, what we can do is create a reality where people have compassion, understanding and the strength to not ignore the signs, stand up for each other and help.
We are living in character testing times. And how we act now can determine our future.
Trying to obtain information I called (victim support), I was passed to a different organisation, but before we ended the call I asked “how are you”? How do you cope having to listen to these stories on a daily basis”?
she replied ” we are well looked after” with an exhausted sigh. I found this interesting, it shows the flow of the negative energy and how its not just affecting the abused but also potentially anyone they come in contact with.
Searching the web for information I came across:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-52755109
Interestingly the first statement was:
“The charity which runs the national domestic abuse helpline has had a 10-fold increase in visits to its website in the past two weeks.”
They then said “the lockdown itself does not cause domestic abuse but can aggravate pre-existing behaviours in an abusive partner”.
I found refuge (a charity) it said that over the past three weeks it recorded a 66% increase in calls to its helpline and recorded a 957% increase in web traffic over the past two weeks.
Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, said the lives of women suffering with domestic abuse depend on the helpline and website, which allows them to request a safe time to be contacted.
“The sheer numbers of women seeking specialist support shows just how vital Refuge’s services are,” she added.
I found out that calls to a national domestic abuse helpline rose by 49% and killings doubled weeks after lockdown from a report by MPs
This to me is just the tip of the ice berg.
As I’m a visual learner I wanted to look at visual graphs
to help my mind process the information of
domestic abuse in lockdown
16 people killed in first three weeks – highest is 11 years.
49% rise in calls to abuse helpline, compared with average.
35% rise in calls to Men’s Advice Line, in first week.
Source: Counting Dead Women Project, National Domestic Abuse helpline, Men’s Advice Line
(Dated 26/may/2020)
This evidence shows that domestic abuse has increased in the lockdown these figures were disgustingly shocking to me “16people killed in first three weeks – highest is 11 years”
Its crazy to think that one person’s actions create a spider web of connection that effects so many people.
I found a Social worker who has been working in the field for, so now we can get verbal understanding form someone directly in the field and look at a different perspective. (My source has requested to be anonymous)
I had the pleasure of getting an interview with Bella (anonymous) who is a Social worker and More of a deeper understanding of what goes on
In the unknown “Our neighbour’s houses”.
CLICK LINK BELOW FOR THE INTERVIEW
Link YouTube –
Instagram –
www.istagram.com/darkhorsetalkz
I was also able to get another interview with a social worker – Bella 2-
Q: Have you noticed a change in a family prior to Covid and can you see a change in behaviour that may lead you to think abuse is taking place?
“No do you know I stepped away from social work in covid because of my own health needs.
“I noticed at the start where there was domestic violence it didn’t change anything it just meant that … sounds horrible but they were more protective of the perpetrators”.
So here we have two hard working citizens, A hot line and statistics from government findings…. NOW! we still we have no solution from either. Does this mean there is no solution or are we looking in the wrong place to find one? Should we focus more on education from a younger age to prevent it? Do we focus on mental heath as a cause? Who knows? But what I do know is “we can not change the world Just be the change we would like to see”.
This means, standing up for those who can’t, Take time out of my day to ask some one “how are you”. Take time to actually listen to the answer. Until we find a way rise above this low frequency of understanding, I fear as humans, problems like this will always happen. So let’s stay in erudition and encourage each other.
This has inspired me to create www.istagram.com/darkhorsetalkz
It will be a platform of encouragement and knowledge.
Words by Adam (kjw) Kyron