Quebec study links domestic violence to COVID-19 confinement measures

A new study from the Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) links COVID-19 confinement measures with Quebec’s explosion in cases of domestic violence.

According to data compiled by three medical students — Ariane Pelletier, Alycia Therrien and Marie-Aude Picard-Turcot — more than one in six Quebec women (17.6 per cent) experienced some form of domestic violence in October 2021, with 3.2 per cent of women reporting physical violence during this time.

The students worked under the supervision of Dr. Mélissa Généreux, who said that while there’s been marked increase of reported domestic violence in Quebec, “We didn’t know the extent of domestic violence that is a little more invisible, that doesn’t result in requests for help.”

“There are a large number of women living in an unhealthy climate,” she said.

The data was obtained from online questionnaires sent to more than 3,500 women in relationships during four key points during the pandemic between November 2020 and October 2021.

The study found Montreal to be the region the most affected, with 22.5 per cent of those surveyed reporting spousal violence.

Violent behaviour towards women peaked in February and October 2021, when COVID-19 infections were particularly high and severe restrictions were put in place. Conversely, spousal violence rates were at their lowest in June of that same year, when the virus’ spread was significantly reduced.

The violence did not spontaneously manifest itself with the arrival of the pandemic, but was exacerbated by the health crisis, which reduced access to critical support resources and support networks.

Généreux hopes that by publishing this data, the public will open their eyes and listen a little more closely for signals indicating domestic violence in all its forms.

The study shows that for every 2021 femicide reported in Quebec, there are “nearly 3,000 female victims of abuse in a conjugal context” and “more than 16,000 female victims” of one form or another of conjugal violence, including verbal or psychological abuse.

“If, for example, your spouse yells at you repeatedly or talks down to you, that has a name. It’s called verbal abuse or psychological abuse, and it’s no more acceptable than physical abuse,” said Généreux.

Based on these findings, the UdeS researchers hope to propose new solutions for the fight against domestic violence. A detailed report of their findings, coupled with possible solutions, is to be released in June.

A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

Généreux, who specializes in public health, believes domestic violence is a serious public health issue and must be treated as such.

While conducting her research, she came up against a knowledge gap regarding the extent of the phenomenon. With the exception of the slim data gleaned from Statistics Canada, there was virtually nothing to measure the prevalence of domestic violence in Quebec on a sustained basis.

“It seems to me that this sends a pretty clear message that we would benefit from a better understanding of how low-level violence manifests itself in households," said Généreux. “We can’t just say that one in six women live with domestic violence and stop there, we have to pursue it."

She said this violence can result in many collateral victims, starting with the children; plus, figures show that a woman who has experienced domestic violence is twice as likely to suffer from anxiety or depression and three times as likely to have suicidal thoughts.

And while the pandemic seems to be quietly giving way to a return to normalcy, the expert worries about the thousands of women trapped in households for economic reasons.

“You might think, ‘It’s all about containment, it’s going to be okay,’ but it’s not! A relationship that has deteriorated is not going to get better all of a sudden. Plus, with the rising cost of living and the housing crisis, many, many women find themselves trapped and unable to escape an abusive partner because of their inability to find affordable housing.”

This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on April 23, 2022.