Disconnected & Insecure: The intersection between experiences of long COVID and intimate partner violence, Fitz-Gibbon et al, 2024

Despite well-established evidence of the increased risk of IPV during the first two years of the pandemic, to date there has been no global research examining how victim-survivors’ experiences of long COVID uniquely impact their safety and support needs. Recognising that this critical global issue intersects with public health, women’s economics and safety priorities, this project sought to address this significant gap in current knowledge in Australia and internationally.

This report seeks to put the interpersonal safety and support needs of individuals diagnosed with long COVID on the political agenda. Globally, no attention has been paid to the intersection between long COVID and intimate partner violence. This is staggering, given that past research documents that victim-survivors of IPV against women are twice as likely to develop long-term illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia (Chandan et al., 2023). The significance of this project’s findings lies in its ambition to make visible the previously unseen impacts of long COVID on individuals living with domestic violence.

Specifically, this project aimed to generate new evidence on the intersection between long COVID and IPV. The project was framed by four key research questions:

1. For victim-survivors of IPV diagnosed with long COVID, did their partner’s violence occur for the first time or change in nature following their long COVID diagnosis?
2. Do individuals living with long COVID experience different risks, patterns of abuse and/or new forms of IPV?
3. What are the impacts of living with long COVID on the help-seeking experiences of victim-survivors of IPV? – including, how does living with long COVID impact victim-survivors’ access to, and engagement with, support services?
4. How can policy and practice best adapt to meet the safety and recovery needs of individuals living with long COVID who are experiencing IPV?

This project utilised an anonymous national online survey to undertake the first Australian study of the intersection between long COVID and intimate partner violence. It sought to build new knowledge about the risks, nature and impacts of violence, help-seeking behaviours, and service and support needs. While the data was solely collected in Australia, the findings from this study are relevant internationally.

Throughout the report, we draw heavily on direct quotes from the victim-survivors who participated in this study. Our aim is to centre their experiences and ensure that it is their voices that drive the analysis and findings.

https://bridges.monash.edu/articles..._COVID_and_intimate_partner_violence/25000520

 

Spotted this on Twitter thanks to a tweet by Dakota who shared this news article about the study:

Australians with long Covid at an 'increased risk' of domestic violence

quotes:

Despite one in ten Covid-infected people going on to develop long Covid symptoms, and one in four Australian women experiencing violence at the hands of their partner since the age of 15, “globally there has been no attention paid to the intersection” of the two, lead researcher Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon said.

“What we’ve heard first hand from victim-survivors is not just changes in the frequency and severity of partner abuse, but also how their partners weaponised their long Covid symptoms to further perpetrate abusive and controlling behaviours,” Prof Fitz-Gibbon said.

...

“Intimate partner violence is the number one risk factor contributing to the disease burden for Australian women aged 18 to 44 years old – greater than alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use,” she added, referring to the federal government’s National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children.

“If the recovery and healing of all victim-survivors is to be better supported, increasing awareness about the risk and recovery needs of victim-survivors with long Covid experiencing abuse must be an integral piece of the National Plan’s focus on recovery and healing.”

 

This also speaks to women who are disabled and staying in relationships with their abusers because they're financially dependent on them. They have very little financial support and family to rely on.

 

..and children with disabilities. I almost don't dare to think of it.

 

During the cold war with real fear of nuclear attacks, at round the age of ten and living in a fundamentalist religious environment, I opined that animals were much nicer and more honest than humans and that the world would be better off without them. The result was the usual fly swatter on the bare backside remedy. I rest my case.