THE INCREASE OF GENDER-BASED DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN SRI

LANKA

Diani Dodanwala | ENG3200 | 27.07.2022

Acknowledgments

My lecturer, Mrs. Ayodya Verage, whose assistance in motivating comments and

encouragement allowed me to coordinate my study, especially in preparing this report,
deserves a special word of thanks.
Contents
Abstract......................................................................................................................................................8
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................9
Findings....................................................................................................................................................10
Inability to seek assistance.....................................................................................................................10
solitude and imprisonment with abusers..........................................................................................10
tension from financial pressure...........................................................................................................11
increased usage of drugs and alcohol..................................................................................................11
WHY ARE THEY DEFENSELESS?...................................................................................................11
Unpredictability of response teams.................................................................................................11
Short staffed helplines......................................................................................................................11
Fear....................................................................................................................................................12
Recommendations...................................................................................................................................15
Conclusion................................................................................................................................................16
References.................................................................................................................................................18
Abstract
Although domestic violence as always occurred, it has become significantly more
common during the COVID-19 epidemic, when couples are spending more time together
than ever. Although not everyone feels safe there, for some people, home is a secure
place. In fact, since the lockdown was instituted, there has been an upsurge in domestic
violence incidents. Many in-depth data were gathered by reading and studying a lot of
research resources on this subject. Domestic abuse instances that have been reported in
Sri Lanka during the covid pandemic lockdown have a number of key causes, including
isolation and confinement with abusers, being unable to get help, an increase in drug and
alcohol use, and stress from financial strain. According to the data, Sri Lanka is now
entering highly dangerous area in terms of formulating methods to deal with the rise in
domestic violence. It is clear that there aren't many policies in place to prevent this.
Finding the root causes of the issue and developing a plan of action to address them are
essential to problem solving.

Keywords: Domestic violence, Sri Lanka, Covid-19, Lock down, Abusers, Abused,
Women
Introduction
The dangerous virus Covid-19 kept humans confined to their home for several months.
Before the epidemic, existence was abstract, and a cough was not as scary as it might have
first appeared to be. 2020, a year that the human civilization will always remember. There
have been several fatalities. A serious financial crisis has affected a large number of
people. Jobs were lost. People were placed in solitary confinement. A new norm had to be
accepted by everyone. Life was challenging. Physical ties ceased to exist. Thus far, 6.3
million deaths have been documented worldwide (Weekly epidemiological update on
COVID-19 - 15 June 2022, 2022).

The impact of Covid 19 on mental health is unprecedented. People struggle with dread,
anxiety, and survival-related insecurity on a global scale. Additionally, the lockdowns
have exacerbated the domestic violence issue. Domestic violence occurs due to insecurity,
lack of self-esteem, environment- poor remodeling by family members and gender
stereotyping. This report's objective is to demonstrate the rise in domestic violence
incidents in Sri Lanka as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic.

In Sri Lanka, one in four (24.9%) women have been the victim of physical or sexual abuse
by a partner or someone other than a partner. In the meantime, 39.8% of women out of
every 5 have experienced physical, sexual, emotional, or economic abuse at the hands of a
spouse. The estate industry experienced the highest rate of physical violence. Over one-
third (37.9%) of women who reside on estates have ever been the victim of physical abuse
(Violence against women in Sri Lanka, 2020). Tragically, due to a variety of reasons, these
figures have risen dramatically during the COVID pandemic lock down. Due to their
incapability to flee, all victims of domestic abuse have had serious difficulties at home.

Domestic violence has always existed; however, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when
couples are spending more time together than ever before, the number of cases has
increased dramatically. For some people, home may be a safe place, but not everyone
feels that way. In fact, there has been an increase in domestic violence instances since the
lockdown was implemented. Domestic violence victims are increasingly at risk of a
terrifyingly new level of violence everywhere in the world.

Findings
According to United Nations Organization, a pattern of behavior employed in any
relationship to acquire or maintain power and control over an intimate partner is known
as domestic abuse, often known as "domestic violence" or "intimate partner violence”
(What Is Domestic Abuse?, n.d.). There are several primary causes for the domestic abuse
cases that have been documented in Sri Lanka during the covid pandemic lockdown,
including solitude and imprisonment with abusers, being unable to seek assistance, an
increased usage of drugs and alcohol, and tension from financial pressure.

Three to five victims of domestic abuse are among the 300 patients who present for care
at the General Hospital's accident service on an average day. At least 100 patients sought
treatment during the lockdown, 10 of them were especially women who had experienced
domestic violence (Gamage & Tummodara, 2021).

INABILITY TO SEEK ASSISTANCE

People who are already in abusive circumstances are less likely to be able to leave.
However, many organizations are underfunded, making it easier for abusers to keep an
eye on their victims' phones and online activity. Since their attackers are always around,
the victims have a difficult time getting in touch with the appropriate helplines. The
dread instilled in the victims' minds makes them believe they will eventually face
consequences if the abuser learns what they have done.

SOLITUDE AND IMPRISONMENT WITH ABUSERS

The lockdown forces victims to spend more time by themselves with their abusers and
further isolates them from their friends, family, and coworkers. Domestic abuse is now in
a prime position to escalate.
TENSION FROM FINANCIAL PRESSURE
Because men still serve as the head of the household in Sri Lanka's patriarchal society,
changes in that person's income have a significant impact on the entire household. They
harm their significant other as a way to release the tension, stress, and anxiety that has
built up inside of them. In some low-income households, the woman makes money while
the man is an alcoholic. The female is abused for not earning as much as she did before in
such circumstances.

INCREASED USAGE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

During the lock down, drinking became a coping mechanism for stress. Drinking too
much alcohol causes one to become disoriented, therefore it may be a factor. Drugs are
mostly a problem for men more so than for women and have to do with dopamine levels.
Dopamine elevation can make people aggressive. This is a double-edged sword. Lack of
access to alcohol and drugs may also lead to domestic violence. This increases the risk to
a woman's life. “A domestic violence victim shared that “she was depressed as her
husband had taken to alcohol abuse out of anxiety over a financial crisis” (Krishnakumar
& Verma, 2021)

WHY ARE THEY DEFENSELESS?

Unpredictability of response teams
When it comes to domestic violence, Sri Lankan women do not trust the security
personnel. The police's infrequent response to reports of domestic abuse is the cause. The
police make every effort to stay away from these situations. Additionally, the police take
ages to solve the situation in the station and they arrive at the location late. The victims
view the police's recommendations as a stopgap measure.

Short staffed helplines

Many staff members are not available at the centers because of the lockdown. Due to the
increased calls, each victim cannot be heard, and their issue stays unresolved.
Fear
Many women are concerned that their partner will find them and kill them. Many women
are correct in this regard. Some people worry that if their ex gets visiting privileges, they'll
hurt the kids as retaliation.   Many women are concerned that if they leave, they won't
have anywhere to live. Homelessness, child abuse, and murder connected to domestic
violence are all on the rise. Women who find themselves in such predicaments require
help, not condemnation. They are not tolerating the violence because they lack
confidence, have bad morals, or are weak. They do it as a result of legitimate anxieties.

DETAILED STATISTICS

Figure 1: Statistical data derived from News First (Hapuarachchi, 2020)

The months of March and April differ significantly, as shown in the bar graph above. 123
complaints of violent behavior and 17 instances of domestic violence were reported in
March. There is a sharp rise in reported complaints of violence in April. Family disputes
account for 156 of the recorded violent incidents. The number of domestic abuse cases in
April is nearly six times higher than it was in March, according to statistics. Additionally,
three instances of sexual harassment in April were also documented.

Figure 2: Statistical data derived from News First (Hapuarachchi, 2020)

The urban areas that received the greatest reports of domestic violence during the COVID
19 lockdown in April 2020 are shown in the pie chart above. Both the Gampaha and
Colombo regions, which both have the same number of instances, have provided more
than half of the reports (33 %). Kurunegala and Kalutara have contributed to one-third of
the reports. It is evident that the Gampaha and Colombo areas have had a notable
amount of domestic violence cases.
 Figure 3: Statistics derived from the Weekly Epidemiology Report on Oct. 2020 (Weekly
epidemiological update on COVID-19 - 15 June 2022, 2022)

According to a survey conducted in Sri Lanka, 85% of respondents had verbal abuse
directed at them, while 9% had physical and 6% had sexual assault. Only a smaller
proportion of incidents of sexual abuse and physical abuse are recorded, despite the
percentages being almost equal. The alleged acts of violence are primarily verbal in
nature. Despite the 9 percent of physical abuse that has been reported, there may have
been unreported continuous physical abuse.
 Figure 4: Statistics derived from the Weekly Epidemiology Report on Oct. 2020 (WEEKLY
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORT, 2020) (Paul Kelley, 2014)

According to the study, parents made up 48% of the offenders, followed by neighbors at
25% and intimate partners at 24%. The percentage of neighbors and intimate partners
engaging in domestic violence is equivalent. Given the increasing percentage of violence
reported on parents, and the fact that this study was specifically focused on women and
domestic violence, we may presume that daughters may have also experienced abuse
from their parents.

Recommendations
1. Change the perception associated with reporting domestic abuse

Women are required by a number of cultural and societal standards to either report
on time or not at all. Women are instructed to put up with the destructive,
demanding circumstances their husbands create. Many women from low-income or
less-educated families are instructed to submit to their husbands as though they were
gods and to avoid challenging them. Additionally, they are unable to confront their
 spouse because doing so would embarrass their family. In order for this step to be
started in the future, a policy needs be implemented. Governments must work with
communities to evaluate the situation and develop the required implementation
strategies.

2. Improve accessibility to law enforcement and public awareness of domestic abuse

Domestically abused women ought to have trusting access to law enforcement.

Moreover, these law enforcement personnel should be able to arrive at a notified site
as soon as the incident is reported. By doing this, it is ensured that women could still
flee their houses during the lockdown and receive the assistance they needed. Until
her safety is guaranteed, these women should also be introduced to legal services and
a protected environment.

3. Introducing code words to make it more convenient for abused women to report

Domestically abused women should be given the opportunity to report the incident
just as if they were placing a pizza order or phoning a relative (because not all
communities are able to order food via a call). To alert others when domestic abuse is
occurring, they should be given particular code phrases like "can I order a pizza” or
"hello, is this Rani?" for domestic violence. From there, the helpline may easily
continue the inquiries. “A woman in a domestic violence situation managed to call 911
without the perpetrator realizing, by pretending to order a pizza.” (US domestic abuse
victim pretends to order pizza to alert 911, 2019)

Conclusion
The data clearly demonstrates that Sri Lanka is now stepping on very risky territory in
terms of developing strategies to address the increased incidence of domestic violence. It
is obvious that there aren't many procedures in place to stop this from happening. The
key to solving problems is identifying the core causes and creating a plan of action to
alleviate them. However, many women have been harmed by Sri Lanka's lockdown policy.
To manage and lower the rate of domestic violence against women that continues to exist
and rise in the middle of the epidemic, government officials must instead focus on
implementing potential countermeasures.

References
Gamage, M., & Tummodara, R. (2021, March 12). A Study On The Rise Of Domestic Violence
Against Women In Sri Lanka During The Lockdown. Retrieved from Colombo Telegraph:
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/a-study-on-the-rise-of-domestic-violence-
against-women-in-sri-lanka-during-the-lockdown/

Hapuarachchi, P. (2020, May 6). Rate of Violence against Women increases amidst COVID-19.
Retrieved from Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst: https://www.newsfirst.lk/2020/05/06/rate-of-
violence-against-women-increases-amidst-covid-19/

Krishnakumar, A., & Verma, S. (2021, March 10). Understanding Domestic Violence in India
During COVID-19: a Routine Activity Approach. Asian J Criminol., 16(1), 19-35.
doi:10.1007/s11417-020-09340-1

US domestic abuse victim pretends to order pizza to alert 911. (2019, November 22). Retrieved from
BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50513706

Violence against women in Sri Lanka. (2020, December 12). Retrieved from Daily FT:
https://www.ft.lk/columns/Violence-against-women-in-Sri-Lanka/4-710091

(2020). WEEKLY EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORT. Epidemiology Unit. Colombo 01000: Ministry of

Health & Indigenous Medical Services. Retrieved from
https://www.epid.gov.lk/web/images/pdf/wer/2020/vol_47_no_42-english.pdf

Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 - 15 June 2022. (2022, June 15). Retrieved from World
Health Organization: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-
update-on-covid-19---15-june-2022

What Is Domestic Abuse? (n.d.). Retrieved from United Nations:

https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/what-is-domestic-abuse