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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Children Witnessing Domestic and Family Violence: A Widespread Occurrence during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
Mehmet VuralIda GiardinoJulije MeštrovićLeyla Namazova-baranovaTudor Lucian PopMassimo Pettoello-mantovaniFlavia IndrioEli SomekhGiovanni CorselloGiulia FranceschiniPietro Ferrarasubject
2019-20 coronavirus outbreakDomestic ViolenceCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)AdolescentSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)Child WelfarewitnessPsychological TraumaGlobal HealthChild healthviolenceEnvironmental healthPandemicGlobal healthMedicineHumansdomesticchild ; COVID-19 ; domestic ; femicide ; victim ; violence ; witnesswitnePandemicsCOVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019childbusiness.industryChild HealthCOVID-19European Paediatric AssociationResilience Psychologicalmedicine.diseaseChild PreschoolPediatrics Perinatology and Child HealthDomestic violencevictimbusinessPsychological traumafemicidedescription
Across the world, children and adolescents are exposed daily to toxic levels of violent behaviors, including domestic and family violence. Violence increasingly has permeated and profoundly affected the lives of children, who are the most vulnerable members of society.1 Pediatric societies in Europe and North America have raised great concern over the effect that abusive experiences will have on present and future generations.1, 2, 3, 4 The global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the past year has dramatically worsened the situation, contributing to a further increase in violence and aggression within households. Reports of domestic abuse and family violence have increased around the world with social isolation and quarantine measures, and national health and social care systems worldwide have faced serious challenges posed by the rising rates of domestic and family abuse.5 Children are typically the primary victims of family violence2; however, children who live in homes in which partner abuse occurs are described as secondary victims.6 Minors increasingly are witnessing various forms of unprecedented emotional and physical domestic abuse, often resulting in femicide, and exposed to the emotional, behavioral, physical, social, and cognitive effects.2 There are documented gendered patterns in violence perpetration and victimization.7 This commentary, authored by the working group on social pediatrics of the European Paediatric Association/Union of National European Paediatric Societies and Associations, discusses children witnessing family violence and domestic abuse, including femicide as the most extreme and irreversible expression of domestic violence involving parents or household members. Our aim is to raise awareness regarding this phenomenon, which is rapidly expanding during the COVID-19 pandemic, and on the serious long-term effects on the well-being of children.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-01 |