Lockdown spike in family abuse: Jump in domestic attacks as isolation takes toll at home

As of Thursday, September 3, 2020

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE shocking effects of COVID-19 on Bahamians has been laid bare in a report that revealed an 11.3 percent increase in domestic violence - as well as the difficult financial situation many households are in.

The report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) reported the greatest rise in domestic violence was experienced by high income families - 13.9 percent compared to low- and middle-income households (10.3 percent and 10.1 percent respectively).

Women have borne the brunt of the pandemic’s fallout. “The pandemic has negatively impacted Bahamians’ quality of life, particularly that of women. The distribution of domestic chores has been significantly disproportionate,” the survey found.

The report also said nearly half of households reported eating less healthy meals than usual, and just over five percent went to bed hungry.

With less than four in ten Bahamian households having sufficient reserves when COVID-19 hit, the Central Bank’s governor yesterday said “savings bonds” are being eyed to boost financial resiliency.

More in Tribune Business – click HERE

joeblow 3 years, 7 months ago

You don't become a responsible thinking adult just by getting older. Many are not emotionally or intellectually ready for the responsibilities they take on in relationships or jobs because they have not seen it modeled. Society is being constantly dumbed down, but we should expect thoughtfulness, self control and excellence in times of adversity?

tribanon 3 years, 7 months ago

We should all be asking ourselves: Why are we hearing about this from the IDB, a foreign controlled organization, rather than from our own elected government officials?

Of course these types of reports by the IDB to the Bahamian public naturally beg another question: Just who exactly is now running our bankrupt country and overseeing its governmental affairs?

FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 7 months ago

The illusion of Bahamian independence was one of the greatest lies ever told.

"The distribution of domestic chores has been significantly disproportionate,”

I would be very interested to know how they conducted this survey lol. Reports like these remind me of the desperate attempts by the UN to replace the native Bahamian population with Haitians. If a Bahamian government could ever grow the stones to tell the EU, UN, and the rest of these international alphabet organizations to piss off, our country may have a fighting chance of survival.

ohdrap4 3 years, 7 months ago

Blockquote

would be very interested to know how they conducted this survey lol

Blockquote

Easy. They chatted people up who were lined up outside the bank, foodstore and washouse on mondays, wednesdays, fridays.

ThisIsOurs 3 years, 7 months ago

don't think so. they said abuse in high income families increased by greatest. I suspect these are numbers from the crisis center, hospital or some such entity

trueBahamian 3 years, 7 months ago

These numbers will probably be consistent with a lot of countries around the globe. A lot of people are unemployed. A lot of countries have reported an increase in cases if domestic abuse.

I would agree with "tribanon", we should be hearing this from the government. To be frank, we've become Americanized. We are consumers with a huge appetite for material things. So, like our American counterparts, we don't save. Then when something happens, like a recession, we're in bad shape. Every economic downturn has the same look in terms of people losing jobs and ensuring hardship. So, why every time the same people keep getting caught in the same cycle. I can understand someone who is only making enough to cover the bare essentials or the essentials and ine or teo "wants". But, we have individuals who are well paid which end up in the same both as their fellow countrymen who're making minimum wage. It's just unbelievable. Some people can have unforeseen circumstances that can impact their savings, but everyone who can save isn't impacted by unforeseen circumstances.

The Tribune