Domestic/Family Violence in the COVID-19 ERA

 Brief Summary: 

As the incidence of COVID-19 has surged throughout the world, almost all countries have imposed lockdown measures as the primary protection against the virus. Strict sheltering-in-place practices, however, also mean that the most vulnerable—women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities/chronic illnesses, refugees, and members of the LGBTQ+ community—are more defenseless than ever.   

Unable to flee or seek help, they are cut off from their usual sources of support. They cannot alert family members, friends, neighbors, schools, places of worship, or other community resources. Indeed, reports of a significant rise in the numbers of individuals exposed to domestic violence during COVID-19 around the world are alarming. The situation of vulnerable groups is so grave that the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has appealed to governments to prevent the; "horrifying global surge in domestic violence"; that is occurring amid lockdown.
 

The Summit will provide a platform for:

• victims-survivors of domestic violence to share their experiences and concerns;
• experts to present comparative worldwide findings;
• program leaders and caregivers to share best practices in responding to, treating, and preventing domestic violence;
• governments and policymakers to share effective policies.

A key goal of the Summit is to re-energize the commitment of all stakeholders, including individuals, families, community institutions, such as faith-based, educational, media, cultural and other organizations, and governments on local, national, regional and international levels for a world free of domestic and all other forms of violence. The Summit will be recorded and live-streamed on social media.

We look forward to having you with us!