Intimate Partner Violence During COVID-19 Restrictions: A Study of 30 Countries From the I-SHARE Consortium

Intimate partner violence (IPV) causes substantial physical and psychological
trauma. Restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,
including lockdowns and movement restrictions, may exacerbate IPV risk
and reduce access to IPV support services. This cross-sectional study
examines IPV during COVID-19 restrictions in 30 countries from the
International Sexual HeAlth and REproductive Health (I-SHARE) study
conducted from July 20th, 2020, to February, 15th, 2021. IPV was a
primary outcome measure adapted from a World Health Organization
multicountry survey. Mixed-effects modeling was used to determine IPV
correlates among participants stratified by cohabitation status. The sample
included 23,067 participants from 30 countries. A total of 1,070/15,336
(7.0%) participants stated that they experienced IPV during COVID-19
restrictions. A total of 1,486/15,336 (9.2%) participants stated that they
had experienced either physical or sexual partner violence before the
restrictions, which then decreased to 1,070 (7.0%) after the restrictions. In
general, identifying as a sexual minority and experiencing greater economic
vulnerability were associated with higher odds of experiencing IPV during
COVID-19 restrictions, which were accentuated among participants
who were living with their partners. Greater stringency of COVID-19
restrictions and living in urban or semi-urban areas were associated with
lower odds of experiencing IPV in some settings. The I-SHARE data suggest
a substantial burden of IPV during COVID-19 restrictions. However, the
restrictions were correlated with reduced IPV in some settings. There is
a need for investing in specific support systems for survivors of IPV during
the implementation of restrictions designed to contain infectious disease
outbreaks