Experts’ Perspectives on Female Intimate Partner Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

     This research aims at studying perspectives of experts on female intimate partner violence during the Covid 19 pandemic. Based on the in-depth interviews with six experts from public sectors and civil society organizations (CSOs) who related prevention operations and problem-solving on female intimate partner violence both in policy and practice. The data was collected between July and November 2022, the results of the interviews found that the female intimate partner violence situation during the COVID 19 pandemic had been rising exceedingly. Female spouses could not ask for any immediate assistance due to a lockdown policy and patriarchal beliefs, which were the important causes of partner violence. There were an increasing number of female partners facing mental and physical violence. Short-term solutions were using mobile applications and hotline telephone. For long-term guidelines, there were five stages, including 1) changing an attitude on intimate partner violence of practitioners; 2) empowering women; 3) changing an attitude toward intimate partner violence of men;  4) promoting a knowledge on gender equity in academic institutions; and 5) working proactively  and cooperatively in local areas. If another pandemic occurs again and the implementation of lockdown or social distancing measures must be used, the relevant agencies, including the government, civil society, and communities should work as a network to formulate conjunctive strategies to prevent and solve the problem of female intimate partner violence.