The Invisible Wounds of COVID-19: Exploring domestic abuse victimisation experiences of Minoritised women in the UK

• In Event: Addressing Gender and Sexual Victimization

Abstract

It is known that crises, including public health emergencies, compound gender‐based power dynamics and underlying inequalities in socio‐economic and health systems, and further exacerbate violence against women. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. In the context of the rising cases of Violence Against Women during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, circumstances have unmasked existing structural forces the world is wrestling with, patriarchy and institutional racism. These resonate as major struggles of racially Minoritised women experiencing domestic abuse. However, vast majority of the research does not centre the ‘voices’ of Minoritised victims. Using narrative interviews with Black and Minoritised victims of domestic abuse (n=20) in the UK, the present study aimed to explore their experiences of domestic abuse victimisation and its consequences on mental health and seeking help in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We generated three themes from the interviews using reflexive thematic analysis: ‘Blurred boundaries of violence’, ‘The burden of the pandemic’, ‘Reimagining healing and justice: Multiplicity of victim voices’. Results highlight how the pandemic context influenced victimisation patterns that blurred the boundaries between ‘domestic’ and ‘public’ spheres, exacerbated mental health and well being concerns of Minoritised victims and amplified their barriers to seeking help and support through the domino effect the pandemic had on services and support networks. Findings demonstrate the limitations of the simplistic understanding of domestic abuse and shortcomings of taking a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach in addressing the complex and diverse needs of Minoritised women victims. It is essential that policy, legislation and practice recognise these complexities and account for the role of the pandemic context influencing victims’ experiences to provide more tailored support options and move towards implementing systemic and structural changes to address the invisible wounds of Minoritised women to prevent future harm.

Authors

• Ankita Mishra, University of Sheffield

• Jilly Gibson-Miller, University of Sheffield

• Chantelle Wood, University of Sheffield