Exploring the Linkages between Substance Use, Natural Disasters, Pandemics, and Intimate Partner Violence against Women: A Rapid Review in the Context of COVID-19

Abstract

Rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use have risen during the COVID-19 pandemic, with potentially enduring effects on women’s health. A rapid review was conducted on IPV and women’s substance use in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid review explored two separate research questions with a view to integrate the literature related to: (1) containment, social isolation, pandemics, disasters, lockdowns, and IPV; and (2) the relationships between substance use and IPV. Two different searches for each question were conducted between May and October 2020 and n = 47 articles were included. Women experience multiple physical and mental health consequences related to IPV that can be exacerbated by public health crises such as pandemics and disasters. Perpetrators may use these events as a tactic to threaten, isolate, or use coercive control. Similar tactics are reported in the complex relationship between IPV and substance use, where substance use can accompany IPV and/or be used as a coping mechanism for survivors. The findings highlight long standing women’s health concerns made further visible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional research is needed to identify actions required to reduce gender inequities and harms associated with IPV and substance use, and to adequately tailor and prepare effective responses in the context of future public health crises.

Reproductive health challenges during a flood: A qualitative study

“…Factors like addiction and stress related to the floods were identified as potential contributors to such violence. These findings are consistent with other studies that have demonstrated an increase in various forms of violence during natural disasters (Brabete et al, 2021).…”

Collateral Effects of COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders on Violence Against Women in the United States, January 2019 to December 2020

“…In the COVID-19 pandemic speci cally, the combination of stay-at-home orders and the economic impact of the crisis could exasperate factors associated with risk of VAW which, during normal circumstances, include men's unemployment, housing insecurity, low wages, childcare strains, social isolation, and other predisposing personal factors such as histories of child maltreatment against men (20,21). The economic strain apparent in the early pandemic (22) also may have adversely affected situational coping mechanisms, such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, which heighten the immediate risk for IPV perpetration (23)(24)(25).…”

Hospital discharges for substance-related injuries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive surveillance study using administrative data

“…Reasons that may deter someone from seeking help for an intentional injury during the pandemic include concern about burdening the health care system, social stigma or fear of aggravating a domestic violence situation, especially when more time is being spent at home. [38][39][40] In our study, we observed that hospital discharges for substance -related injuries that involved alcohol, opioids, cannabis, hallucinogens, tobacco, volatile solvents, other psychoactive substances and polysubstance increased during the first year of the pandemic. Other Canadian surveillance work has reported an increase in discharges for harms related to alcohol (10%), opioid (30%) and cannabis (14%) during the pandemic.…”