Quebec study links rise in domestic violence to COVID-19 lockdowns

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A new study from the Université de Sherbrooke has found a link between COVID-19 lockdowns and a spike in cases of domestic violence.

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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 has been a noticeable increase in reports of domestic violence in Quebec, “we didn’t know the extent of domestic violence that is a little more invisible, that doesn’t ‘t result in requests for help.”

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

The data was obtained from online questionnaires filled out by more than 3,500 women in relationships during four key moments of the pandemic, between November 2020 and October 2021.

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The study found that 22.5 per cent of women in relationships experienced some form of domestic violence in October 2021, with Montreal being the most affected region.

Violent behavior toward women peaked in February and October 2021, when COVID-19 infection rates were high and strict public health measures were in place. Conversely, rates of domestic violence were at their lowest in June 2021, when case counts were lower and restrictions eased.

Généreux noted that while the pandemic didn’t cause this type of violence, the issue was exacerbated because of reduced access to critical community resources and support networks. She said she hopes these findings open people’s eyes and encourage them to pay more attention to signs of domestic violence in all its forms.

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The results of the study indicate that for every femicide reported in Quebec in 2021, “nearly 3,000 women were victims of physical abuse in the context of a relationship” and more than 16,000 women experienced some form of domestic violence, including verbal and 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,” Généreux said.

Based on these results, the researchers intend to propose new solutions to tackle domestic violence. A detailed report of their findings, along with some possible solutions, is expected to be released in June.

A public health issue

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

While conducting her research, she came up against a gap in public knowledge about the severity of this issue. With the exception of minimal data gleaned from a Statistics Canada survey, there was virtually no data to measure the prevalence of domestic violence in Quebec on a regular 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,” Généreux said. “We can’t just say that one in six women live with domestic violence and stop there. We have to investigate.”

She added that domestic violence has a number of collateral victims, starting with children living in these households. Data also shows that women who experience domestic violence are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety or depression, and they are three times as likely to have suicidal thoughts.

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And while public health restrictions have largely been lifted, Généreux worries that thousands of women continue to be trapped in unsafe living situations for financial reasons.

“We could say to ourselves: ‘It’s all linked to the lockdowns, it’s going to be OK now.’ But it’s not. A relationship that has deteriorated is not going to get better all of a sudden,” she said. “Plus, with the rising cost of living and the housing crisis, many women find themselves trapped and unable to escape an abusive partner because they can’t find affordable housing.”