Source: psychiatrictimes.com | Repost Duerson Fund 6/13/2022 –
Violence against women, which can result in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other acquired brain injuries (ABIs), intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. A comprehensive and long-term strategy is required to address this issue and to ensure the mental well-being of women.
The Case of Gabby Petito
In July 2021, social media influencer Gabby Petito and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, embarked on a cross-country road trip captured on Instagram and YouTube. In September, Laundrie returned—alone. Weeks later, Petito’s remains were found. It was determined that she died from strangulation, and her case opened a national conversation about intimate partner violence (IPV).
Tragically, Petito’s case is just 1 of many. There has been an increase in IPV, illuminating a shadow pandemic within the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before COVID-19, 1 in 3 women (approximately 1.27 billion women worldwide) experienced IPV. Further, more than one-third (30,000) of the women killed in 2017 in the US died at the hands of their current or former intimate partner. In 2020, calls to helplines increased 5-fold in some countries. In some nations, there has been a 300% increase in police reports of IPV, likely fueled by COVID-19 mitigation strategies. UN Women projected that an additional 15 million women would be affected by IPV for every 3 months of lockdown.