Gender-based violence and help-seeking behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic

Investigators: Dr Naomi Pfitzner, Associate Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor Jacqui True, Dr Jasmine McGowan
Project contact: Dr Naomi Pfitzner

About this research  

In 2019 the United Nations reported that ‘home’ is the most dangerous place for women and children. With more people staying at home to reduce the community spread of COVID-19, there is a greater risk of violence against women and children. The pandemic is making help seeking even harder with disrupted support services and in some cases limited access to communication technology.

This research will help us to understand women’s experiences of violence and help-seeking under the COVID-19 restrictions as well as the impact on health and social care workers who provide support during this time. We will share the results widely to help governments and other organisations understand what women experiencing violence need now and to prepare for the future.

About the survey

In 2022, the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre has created a short, anonymous, online survey to learn about victim-survivors’ experiences of accessing family violence support during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

How to find results

The results of the survey will be made available on this website. Be sure to visit this site again to check for the results.

Responding to the 'Shadow Pandemic' Webinar Series

The Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre partnered with Domestic Violence Victoria, the peak body for specialist family violence services for women and children in Victoria, to deliver a 'Responding to the Shadow Pandemic' webinar series throughout the second half of 2020. This webinar series will continue in 2021.

See details of the upcoming 2021 webinar series and watch all 2020 videos here.

Media

You can watch, listen and read media coverage related to the COVID-19 research.

Social Sciences Week 2021

Webinar - 18 Months and Counting: Examining the impacts of COVID19 on gender-based violence in Australia,  Indo-Pacific and UK from Monash Arts on Vimeo.

Responding to the ‘shadow pandemic’- Outputs

These reports present the findings from our gender-based violence and COVID-19 research program.

Best Practice Guidelines: Supporting the Wellbeing of Family Violence Workers During Times of Emergency and Crisis

These best practice guidelines were developed by the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre in partnership with Domestic Violence Victoria and the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria. They draw on findings from a study of practitioners responding to women and men experiencing and using family violence during the 2020 COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria (Australia). That study was part of a broader program of work led by Dr Naomi Pfitzner with Associate Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon and Professor Jacqui True and funded by the Monash University as part of the Melbourne Experiment.

When home becomes the workplace: family violence, practitioner wellbeing and remote service delivery during COVID-19 restrictions

This report presents findings of a statewide study into the wellbeing impacts of working during the COVID-19 restrictions on Victoria’s specialist family violence and men’s services sector. It draws on the insights from 113 survey respondents and 28 focus group Victorian practitioners responding to family violence during July-August 2020.

Responding to the 'Shadow Pandemic' Victoria

This report presents the findings from a survey of 166 Victorian practitioners. The survey sought to capture the voices and experiences of practitioners responding to women experiencing violence during the COVID-19 shutdown in Victoria, Australia.

Responding to the 'Shadow Pandemic' Queensland

This Report presents the findings from two surveys conducted by the Queensland Domestic Violence Services Network in April and May 2020. The surveys sought to capture the professional views and experiences of practitioners responding to women experiencing violence during the period of COVID-19 restrictions in Queensland

Research Articles

  • Pfitzner, N., Fitz-Gibbon, K & True, J. (2022), When staying home isn't safe: Australian practitioner experiences of responding to intimate partner violence during COVID-19 restrictions. Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 21 February,  https://doi.org/10.1332/239868021X16420024310873
  • Pfitzner, N., Fitz-Gibbon, K. & Meyer, S. (2022) Responding to women experiencing domestic and family violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: exploring experiences and impacts of remote service delivery in Australia. Child & Family Social Work, 27: 30-40, https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12870

Related research and project partners

University of Liverpool, School of Law and Social Justice

MGFVPC lead researcher Professor Sandra Walklate (conjoint appointment with University of Liverpool) has been awarded a RCUK/ESRC grant to examine criminal justice responses in England and Wales to domestic abuse under lock down and as as lock down restrictions are eased. This project (with Professor
Barry Godfrey also at Liverpool) will evaluate the efficacy of policy and
practice innovations by both the police and courts in dealing with the
immediate crisis, and explore their viability for future practice in the
face of ongoing service demands.

View the project website here.

inTouch Multicultural Centre against Family Violence

We have partnered with inTouch to undertake research on the impact of the pandemic on women experiencing family violence who hold temporary visas.

This work is led by Dr Naomi Pfitzner and Associate Professor Marie Seagrave. 
For more information about the research view the project page here and access the final report here.

Domestic Violence Victoria

The Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre are partnering with Domestic Violence Victoria, the peak body for specialist family violence services for women and children in Victoria, to deliver a 'Responding to the Shadow Pandemic'
webinar series for the DV VIC Philanthropic Network.

2020 research 

In 2020, we conducted  short, anonymous, online surveys to learn about worker well-being and moving service innovation forward during the COVID-19 crisis.

How to find results

The results of the survey will be made available on this website. Be sure to visit this site again to check for the results.

About the team

The research is being led by Dr Naomi Pfitzner, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, and Dr Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Director, from the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre together with Professor Jacqui True, Director of the Monash Gender, Peace and Security Centre. For more information about the team follow this link.

Funding 

This research is funded by Monash University as part of the “Melbourne Experiment” Project, a landmark interdisciplinary research collaboration studying the effects of the COVID-19 restrictions on the various functions of the city of Melbourne with the aim of improving liveability toward 2050.

More information

There are places you contact for help and information

If you would like to know more about the survey, you can contact the researchers, Dr Naomi Pfitzner
and Professor Jacqui True jacqui.true@monash.edu