Sheltering in place may protect people from COVID-19, but it can also pose a higher risk for those in abusive relationships.
Under normal circumstances, a survivor or victim could flee an abusive situation by staying with a family member, going to a shelter, or filing a protective order with the police. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has left victims trapped with their abuser, and it has become harder to report the abuse.
With financial stress from lost jobs and the likelihood of a worldwide recession, it may be harder for victims to leave an abusive relationship. Therefore, the risk to victims could easily outlast the virus itself.