COVID-19 and domestic abuse
Domestic abuse is a significant safeguarding issue for all societies.
It remains a challenging subject and in recent years has been increasingly recognised among black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, particularly around issues such as so called 'honour-based violence', female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging evidence demonstrates that there is a worrying increase in cases being reported, and that also leaves many which are not.
Nurses and midwives have key roles to play in identifying and supporting victims of domestic abuse, whether they are patients/clients and/or colleagues.
Our main page provides a number of resources to help increase understanding of this complex and critically important safeguarding issue.
COVID-19 and domestic abuse resources
- AVA & SafeLives: Guidance for mental health professionals
- BMJ Evidence-Based Nursing Blog: Fine tune your domestic violence radar: Nursing and COVID-19
- Institute of Health Visiting. Virtual contacts by health visitors and Working with vulnerable families
- IRISi: Guidance for general practice. Responding to domestic abuse during telephone and video consultations
- Respect. Responding to the challenges of COVID-19. Guidance for practitioners working with domestic abuse perpetrators
- SCIE: Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for social care
- UK Caldicott Guardian Council: Online resources for the COVID-19 pandemic
- Women's Aid: Shadow pandemic shining a light on domestic abuse during COVID
National helplines
All national helplines are free to call and can provide interpreter services if English is not your first language.
Safety and wellbeing advice for survivors - national helplines
Page last updated - 29/07/2023
