Domestic violence during COVID-19 pandemic in Sombor, Republic of Serbia

Attitude towards domestic violence has significantly evolved as societies developed, but even so, some communities, out of culturological reasons, still see physical violence as a normal occurrence [21]. Regarding domestic violence, a number of definitions have emerged that mark some actions as very bad, while, at the same time, ignoring or even approving of others. According to Muehlenhard and Kimes [13] the way a term is defined will influence the way the people will mark, explain and assess their own experiences. There are no generally accepted methodological principles in research of violence towards women. As Babović and collaborators [19] claim, during the last thirty years great advances were made in this research area, however, there are still debates over advantages and disadvantages of different theoretical and methodological approaches. The fact that image of violence is conditioned by theoretical concept and methodology applied [19] the domestic violence literature often sees many other terms used (violence, abuse, neglect, etc.). According to Petrušić and Konstan-tinović Vilić [20], domestic violence is defined as violence committed within a household or between partners, regardless whether the persons live together or not. Domestic violence occurs in several forms: violence between spouses, violence between partners, violence towards members of the common household, violence towards children. The most widespread form of domestic violence is violence between partners where victims, for the most part, are women, by data collected so far [20]. The violence between partners is deemed violence committed by current or former partners, regardless of whether they are married, unmarried and whether they live together or in separate households.

Perhaps reports of violence would not be so easily available if the presence of the media was not so dominant [2]. Based on the way the media present certain problems in society, including violence, an individual forms his or her own opinion and attitudes [9], i.e. what is acceptable for each individual [2]. Other than that, the media influence opinion forming regarding problems in society and many other events as well [9]. Role of the media in forming citizens’ opinions and attitudes should not be disregarded, as it influences the way people think, what attitudes they share, etc. [2].

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Общество. Среда. Развитие № 3’2021

Soon after the state of emergency was declared, gatherings were banned. Citizens were informed via the media – press conferences that were held daily at the virus information centre. Public Health Institute “Milan Jovano-vić – Batut” has reported on the number of tested individuals and the number of infected twice a day, and on the deceased once a day. Numerous platforms were developed, as well as a website where the citizens could get informed about the pandemic in the republic of Serbia on a daily basis. The pandemic had a number of effects on the health system, social life, the economy and the entire life of each and every citizen of the Republic of Serbia, as well as in the entire world.

The violence during the pandemic was researched by numerous authors all over the world (1; 6; 8; 10; 12; 14–16]; 18). The pandemic has changed lives of individuals radically. Rigid regulations for suppressing and managing the state of epidemiologic emergency has undoubtedly exposed family structure to critical issues and tensions, and it is impossible to say how long it will last. During the quarantine due to the pandemic, a family is at risk of becoming a very dangerous place for the domestic violence victims, as they are required to spend entire days with their partners. For those that live in small houses or without outdoor spaces or yards, the stress levels become worse. The abusive situations can be additionally worsened due to economic crisis connected to the pandemic (many victims have difficulty leaving violent partners out of economic reasons), and isolation can make difficult situations harder, which is especially worrying in households with firearms (spread of the pandemic has brought about an increase of sales of firearms) with possible increase in the number of murders within a family, or suicides, or deviant behaviour towards children due to difficulties in managing parental stress [3]. Presence of children and adolescents at home owing to closing of schools during quarantine also increases exposure of the young to domestic violence with direct consequences to their mental and physical health [11]. Goal of this paper was to examine domestic violence during the pandemic, for a period between 15th of March to 7th of May 2020.

Material and methods

For needs of this paper, data was gathered from Centre for Social Work Sombor. The results are displayed in a table, by using Microsoft Office suite.

Results

In the area of the town of Sombor in the first months of 2020 before the state of emer- gency was declared the number of reports was within the recorded average. If we look at the time period between 15th March and 7th May of 2020, the number of reports was 34.

April saw a drastic decline in the number of reports, i.e. they were halved, as it was the month during which the lockdown was introduced due to epidemiological situation in the country. The trend of decline in the number of reports continued to the end of the state of emergency, only to be back to average by the end of May. It is statistically remarkable that the number of reports increased drastically immediately after the end of the lockdown – a whole 25 for the first 15 days of June! A total number for the entire year, including December, was 336.

In the total number of reports, those where male persons sought protection stand out, although for the most part it is not partner violence, but rather violence in other family relations (usually father – son and vice versa).

The majority of reported cases is due to psychic violence, but one form that is increasingly present is also economic violence, that is foremost in the form of not giving alimentation. There were fewer reported cases of physical violence, although their numbers increased daily. Number of reports of violence sent to the safe houses was increased as well. Even the media were reporting of drastic cases of violence during the lockdown. Also, there is no data of providing the victims of domestic and partner violence with financial means during the lockdown.

Discussion

According to data of State institutions there is no information on number of victims of violence (men or women) that were exposed to domestic or partner violence. State institutions record a decrease in numbers of reports of domestic violence. Number of reported cases of violence towards women has decreased by 48.6% in comparison to earlier periods. Website of the First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade states that the number of committed criminal acts of domestic violence has decreased during the lockdown. However, a decrease in the number of reports of violence does not mean that the act of violence has not been committed. Keeping in mind that in the periods of crisis violence towards women in the family and in partner relationships increases, as is confirmed in real life all over the world, as well as risk factors that influence outbursts of violence, it is quite certain that during the lockdown in Serbia and other countries alike, the numbers increased for the most part, and very rarely decreased.

Questionnaire of Reports of Domestic and Partner Violence during the Lockdown 15th March 2020 – 7th May 2020

1. Records of reports of domestic and partner violence during the lockdown (15th March – 7th May 2020)
Т1.1: Number of reports of domestic violence recorded by the Centre for Social Work during the lockdown (15th March – 7th May 2020) according to age and type of violence
Dominant Type of Violence	Age of the Victims
	Children		Youth		Grownups		Elderly		TOTAL
	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F
Physical Violence	0	1	1	1	1	8	2	0	14
Emotional / psychic Violence	0	0	0	0	7	11	0	2	20
Sexual Violence	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Neglect or Abuse	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Exploitation of children / Economic Violence Towards Grownups	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total Per Gender	0	1	1	1	8	19	2	2	34
TOTAL	1		2		27		4
Т1.2: Number of all reports of violence recorded by the Centre for Social Work during the lockdown (15th March – 7th May 2020) according to persons submitting the report / information
Origin of Report				Total
Victim				0
Family Member				0
Public Institution (School, Health Centre, Kindergarten)				0
Police				34
Court / Public Prosecutor’s Office				0
Citizens’ Association				0
Custody Institution Officially in Other Proceedings				0
Anonymous Report				0
Someone else				0
TOTAL				34
2. Actions the Centre for Social Work Took in Children Protection Cases
Т2.1: Actions the Centre for Social Work Took During the Lockdown (15th March – 7th May 2020) in Cases of Protection of Children Against Domestic Violence
Type of Action					Number of Children					Total
					Girls		Boys
Separation – number of children that were separated from a family (with or without a parent)					0		1			1
Initiating Court Proceedings					0		0			0
Providing financial, legal or expert advisory to a child in the Centre for Social Work					0		3			3
Warning parent(s) of shortcomings in parenting – corrective supervision					0		0			0
Something else					0		0			0
TOTAL					0		4			4
Т2.2: Number of Court Proceedings for Protection of Children Victims of Domestic Violence that the Centre for Social Work Initiated as per Line of Duty During Lockdown (15th March – 7th May 2020), According to the Type of Proceeding
Type of Proceeding							Number of Children
Proceeding for Reaching a Decision of Imposing Protection Against Domestic Violence							0
Proceeding for Total Deprivation of Parenting Right							0
Proceeding for Partial Deprivation of Parenting Right							0
Criminal Charges							0
Proceeding for Reaching a Temporary Decision of Imposing Treatment							0
Proceeding for Protection of a Child’s Rights							0
TOTAL							0

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Т3.1: Actions the Centre for Social Work Took During the Lockdown (15th March – 7th May 2020) in Cases of Protection of Adults Against Domestic and Partner Violence

Type of Action	Age of Beneficiary
	Youth		Grownups		Elderly		Total
	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F
Separation of Victim of Violence From the Family	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
Initiating Court Proceedings	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Criminal Charge	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Providing financial, legal or expert advisory to a Victim of Violence in the Centre for Social Work	0	0	0	30	0	0	0	30
Referring a victim of violence to services of other suitable institutions	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Something else	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
TOTAL per gender	0	0	0	31	0	0	0	31
TOTAL	0		31		0		31

Source: Centre for Social Work Sombor

Общество. Среда. Развитие № 3’2021

The concept of aggression was always a research topic in the most varying fields. Aggressive behaviour can consist of defensive or reactive aggression and proactive aggression [4].

Aggression is something characteristic of humans, and it can go two ways, either turn into a socially acceptable behaviour or cause violence directed toward creating suffering in others. By focusing on the first aspect, as a force of life, one can see its use when a child rebels against authority which can be seen as aggressive, however, that is the way a child manifests an impulse of necessary and precious independence in the growth process [17]. But the second aspect is, on the contrary, seen as a negative impulse that can cause inner antisocial behaviour, be it self-injury or outer aggression towards objects or people. An aggressive tension can lead to serious outbursts of violence that will reach its most aggressive form in destroying another individual, or is expressed in destructive forms such as submitting or exploiting another. There are rather widespread forms of aggression that can be followed in private life or social relations: it is silent violence, made of physical or even sexual abuse, deprivation, brutality, humiliation, forms of authoritarianism.

Introducing ban on movement in certain time intervals, special protection of persons of age 65+ and COVID regime in the health system have created an atmosphere where the focus of attention was directed solely towards protection and safety within health categories, as well as social services that ensured fulfilling basic needs. Domestic violence was an aspect of work that was somehow “forgotten” – predominantly in the way of designing protocols and procedures in treatment by interconnected systems (especially towards the health system) that would enable unhindered work and providing timely help and support to the victims. Accordingly, challenges were providing urgent temporary placement in the Safe House, field visits, diminished number of employees in institutions, providing health services, creating a network of support.

All Safe Houses were open to receive women all the way from March to May and on during the year of 2020. Children that were placed in 9 safe houses since the lockdown started, attended classes in combined form: on TV (8), online platforms i.e. desktop or laptop computers (5); cellular phones (4) and by teachers sending SMS and e-mail notes to parents (4). One child attended classes by receiving printed materials from school. During the lockdown, only one Safe House hosted a child that received tuition according to an individual curriculum.

Adult users want to watch regular TV and are not willing to give that up in the name of some distance learning, so it is very difficult to balance and harmonize, while allowing children to have unhindered lessons”, said one expert worker.

In June of 2020 two safe houses had a need for helping the beneficiaries during enrolling children in pre-school and school, which was done online with the support of pedagogical and psychological services of the institution.

Directors and expert associates have pointed out that their most successful practice during the lockdown was: providing conditions and help for following tuition online and enabling continuation of schooling of all children. Some of recommendations for work of Safe Houses as well as social protection institutions could be sorted into several points:

– Support financially in order to expand resources of safe houses to facilitate work with children in case there is a need for additional adaptation of dedicated space, furnishing with missing movables or a space for sports and recreation;

– In situations of curfews due to extended lockdown equip safe houses with toys, board games and sports equipment in order to meet developmental needs of children;

– Increase awareness and sensitization of the public and point out the problems and needs of children that are in safe houses with their mothers;

– Set aside a small portion of local governments’ dedicated funds for purchase of textbooks and school supplies needed by children in order to be able to follow the curriculum during their stay at a safe house, hence avoiding difficulties in rapid response to securing basic conditions in helping the children;

– Improve existing rule books of safe house operation by regulations beneficial to children’s wellbeing, primarily the ones referring to: securing support with enrolling in preschool or school (changing schools while staying at a safe house); organizing and manner of providing assistance in studying; procedures of obtaining textbooks and school supplies; cooperation with local education institutions by arranging the relationship, manner and areas of communication through signing cooperation protocols; involving volunteers in working with children while ensuring protection of data on beneficiaries.

– Supplement existing technical resources for following the schoolwork (computers / tablets / cellphones with internet access) and make them available to children in order to enable them to follow the schoolwork in case of an extended lockdown of schoolchildren;

– Or: Organize fundraising activities for furnishing safe houses and acquisition of technical equipment necessary in case of an extended lockdown: meetings with private companies, social media campaigns, promoting the importance of securing educational and other types of support to children that are victims of domestic violence;

– Increase awareness and sensitization of the public for specific situation of children that are staying in safe houses with their mothers and organize dedicated activities for raising awareness of students of teacher training schools as well as universities with teaching programmes, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation, social work and social politics about the importance of volunteering work in the field of helping children staying in safe houses;

– Negotiate with universities regarding the possibilities of involving students of teacher training schools as well as universities with teaching programmes, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation and Faculty of Political Sciences (social work programme) in volunteering to help the schoolchildren staying in safe houses with studying.

Especially during quarantine and appearance of COVID all over the world, strategies of securing sources of funding are required, to guarantee continuous telephone services or services of distant consulting with fast internet, dedicated hotlines, emergency shelters. It is important to anticipate screening tools that are likely to prevent a portion of domestic violence, accurate assessment of several domains of abuse (psychological, physical, sexual) confirmed in both women and men, as well as efficient interventions provided by trained personnel of different professions (psychiatrists, psychologists, social and legal services) in a network for managing crises and attempting to prevent these. It is also mandatory to identify individuals of high risk in order to avoid extreme events of impulsive acts such as murder and suicide. The importance of having a network for safety and health interventions to meet varying needs of women that have experienced violence from their intimate partners [7].

Public discussions about violence towards women represent a key priority in achieving gender equality all over the world. Family members living in complex social and psychological situations risk spending imposed quarantine exposed to media overexposure with

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increased stress and fear levels, oftentimes exposed to humiliations that can influence a mass of people and are striking, or are progressive, unobvious and based on cumulative micro-traumas.

Role of experts for mental health would be to avoid situations where people are left in this emotional desert in this time of pain, seeking internal dialogue in order to rediscover the things that unite them with others in worries, but expectations and hopes as well.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Funding

None.

Общество. Среда. Развитие № 3’2021