Victims of domestic violence too frightened to seek help

NEARLY two thirds of domestic violence victims felt unable to seek help during Covid-19 restrictions amid fears of being abused by their partner, a study has found.

Safe Lives, a domestic abuse charity, said 61 per cent of victims had not asked for help because lockdown had left them trapped and unable to do so.

It is the first time the charity has surveyed victims who were still in abusive relationships, using online techniques that enabled them to log their experiences and fears. It comes amid emerging reports of a surge in “hidden” domestic violence during lockdown.

Most of the 125 victims had concern for their safety during lockdown, with 39 per cent identifying fear of the perpetrator as their biggest worry.

“I’m currently 26 weeks pregnant, stuck in a bedsit with my ex partner. I have no money, or no where [sic] to go. I cannot call a helpline for support as my partner will be able to hear me,” one victim wrote in March.

“My partner’s temper and stress has increased a lot since the lockdown and I’m the only thing he can take it out on at the moment, he can’t let his stress out in usual ways,” another wrote in April.

“Every so often he gets on his high horse and pushes me or spits in my face and he shouts and scares us,” a third wrote, also in April.

A further 11 per cent felt unsafe because of their partner’s emotional abuse or coercive control. “His emotional and verbal abuse is escalating the longer we’re isolated and I’m concerned that mentally I won’t survive this,” wrote one in March.

“Psychologically I feel unsafe, being coercively controlled by my ex-husband as he has my daughter. I am powerless and have no one to help me,” said another.

The Government’s new domestic abuse legislation makes coercive control a specific offence.

Safe Lives also surveyed service providers, finding that 38 per cent were reporting an increase in demand from domestic abuse victims, up from 22 per cent at the start of lockdown.

The Government set aside £28million specifically for domestic abuse as calls to the national helpline rose by 66 per cent but, in its report, Safe Lives warned there was a risk of a “cliff edge” on October 31 when the emergency funding packages finished.