DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE TIME OF PANDEMICS
According to official data from the Kosovo Police, in March 2019, 124 cases were reported, while during March 2020 there were 169 cases. These data show an increase in the number of victims of domestic violence in March this year compared to the same month last year due to the pandemic situation.
Illustation: Argjira Kukaj
It was a period of several months that we remained quarantined as a result of the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. The news on television was telling about the situation in which our country was, and other countries in the world in general and the measures taken by them in order to address the situation and ensure health and well-being for all.
The figures for the people affected by this pandemic were quite disturbing and in our minds a lot of questions were posed: How long will this situation continue? How many people will be victims of this pandemic and in what condition will our country be after it passes?
Among all this, the most disturbing news was the increase in the number of cases of domestic violence during the time of isolation, where while for all of us the home was considered the safest place, for victims of domestic violence the closed stay was considered lock inside with an abuser. During that time our thoughts went to those women and children for whom the home was a place of fear and the place where the abusers were somehow still holding on to extra power and control. This form of violence has already turned into a deadly epidemic where one in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. Domestic violence is a crime, according to Article 248 of the Criminal Code, which states: “Domestic violence includes physical, psychological, sexual or economic violence” or ill-treatment of a family member against another family member. This form of violence is punishable by fines and imprisonment.
The Kosovo Police in a press release had said that: “The handling of priority cases by the Kosovo Police, the cooperation of citizens with the police and the awareness of citizens, has influenced the increase of case reporting over the years, where during 2017, 1269 cases were reported, in 2018 there were 1541 and in 2019 there were 1915 cases reported at the national level ”.
According to official data from the Kosovo Police, in March 2019, 124 cases were reported, while during March 2020 there were 169 cases. These data show an increase in the number of victims of domestic violence in March this year compared to the same month last year due to the pandemic situation.
The Group for Security and Gender Equality in Kosovo has also announced that such an increase will be present in Kosovo. Through a press release, GSBGJ has announced that there will be expectations for an increase in domestic violence in Kosovo as well.
“While social distancing and isolation are used as strategies to prevent the spread of the virus, these strategies can be manipulated to isolate victims from their families and social networks, as part of emotional and psychological violence as well as controlling behavior. “These result in an increase in domestic violence which mainly affects women”, was written in the press release published on March 24 of this year.
For the protection of the victims of domestic violence during this pandemic, the domestic violence shelters had also reacted, where they had given their recommendations to the Kosovo police during the pandemic, demanding that the suspected perpetrators be evicted from their homes so that the victims of domestic violence may remain in isolation. “We know that it is very difficult to work in this situation, but institutions must find a way to do their job properly,” said Erza Kurti, expert on gender-based violence from the Kosovo Women’s Network.
“Shelters recommended that police send perpetrators to prison instead of evicting the victim during a pandemic situation,” she added.
Therefore, we can say that it was more than ever the time to take care of the most affected of our society, and to be aware and vigilant about possible cases of domestic violence, to work together to report such cases, to provide adequate support for women’s shelters, police to react with prioritization to domestic violence issues and first of all in times of pandemic to create that environment where everyone reigns understanding to overcome this global challenge together always having in mind and not forgetting about a care more added to these categories because only then can we succeed, helping each othe we will become stronger.
About the author: Dijellëza Selmani, 19 years old from Drenas, student at the Faculty of Law
This grant is supported by the ‘Civil Society programme for Albania and Kosovo’, financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF) in partnership with Partners Albania for Change and Development (PA). The content and recommendations do not represent the official position of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF).
