Experiences of physical and emotional intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparison of prepandemic and pandemic data in a longitudinal study of Australian mothers.
BMJ Open
; 14(4): e081382, 2024 Apr 19.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38643001
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
There is a lack of longitudinal population-based research comparing women's experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the Mothers' and Young People's Study, the prevalence of physical and emotional IPV in the first year of the pandemic is compared with earlier waves of data.DESIGN:
A prospective pregnancy cohort of first-time mothers in Melbourne, Australia was followed up over the first decade of motherhood, with a quick response study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. 422 women completed the primary exposure measure (IPV; Composite Abuse Scale) in the 1st, 4th and 10th year postpartum and the additional pandemic survey (June 2020-April 2021). OUTCOMEMEASURES:
Depressive symptoms; anxiety symptoms; IPV disclosure to a doctor, friends or family, or someone else.RESULTS:
Maternal report of emotional IPV alone was higher during the pandemic (14.4%, 95% CI 11.4% to 18.2%) than in the 10th (9.5%, 95% CI 7.0% to 12.7%), 4th (9.2%, 95% CI 6.8% to 12.4%) and 1st year after the birth of their first child (5.9%, 95% CI 4.0% to 8.6%). Conversely, physical IPV was lowest during the pandemic (3.1%, 95% CI 1.8% to 5.0%). Of women experiencing IPV during the pandemic 29.7% were reporting IPV for the first time, 52.7% reported concurrent depressive symptoms and just 6.8% had told their doctor.CONCLUSIONS:
Findings suggest that the spike in IPV-related crime statistics following the onset of the pandemic (typically incidents of physical violence) is the tip of the iceberg for women's IPV experiences. There is a need to increase the capacity of health practitioners to recognise emotional as well as physical IPV, and IPV ought to be considered where women present with mental health problems.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Violência por Parceiro Íntimo
/
COVID-19
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
País/Região como assunto:
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BMJ Open
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Austrália