COVID-19: urgency for distancing from domestic violence

Although COVID-19 is a major worldwide health threat, there is another global public health emergency that is becoming a growing challenge. Domestic violence is a public health and human rights issue that primarily affects women and children worldwide. Several countries have reported a significant increase in domestic violence cases since the COVID-19-induced lockdowns and physical distancing measures were implemented. The COVID-19 health crisis is exacerbating another pre-existing public health problem by increasing the severity and frequency of domestic violence, thus demonstrating the need to adopt significant and long-term measures.

Therefore, it is urgently necessary to promote and increase actions and policies to guarantee the safety and dignity of all victims of domestic violence worldwide.

This paper describes preventive measures and action plans to combat violence against women and children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The prevention of domestic violence must indeed be every government's priority and every citizen's responsibility.