When in quarantine for the pandemic crisis, everyone would assume the best place to take refuge is at home with their loved ones. For some women, this is not the best option.
According to an article by the Italian Association of Doctors, more than 90 medical professionals who contracted the coronavirus have died.
I am going to tell you the story of another Italian who died, but not due to COVID-19.
Another article, published by Italian newspaper Il Tempo, reported that Lorena Quaranta, a 27-year-old medical student, was strangled to death by her 28-year-old boyfriend Antonio de Pace, a nurse, on March 31 in their apartment in Messina, Sicily. De Pace, who also tried commiting suicide, told the police he had killed her because he believed she had given him the coronavirus. They were both working during the COVID-19 outbreak.
I felt the need to write about this after I shared the story of Quaranta on Instagram. Someone replied to me, saying even during a pandemic crisis, feminists still manage to complain.
On the contrary, we should ask ourselves: Why are women being murdered during a pandemic crisis? We already have enough deaths due to the virus.
People are supposed to stay home, and even though they quarantine in the place where they should be the safest, women are the most vulnerable.
According to eluniversal.com.mx, on April 2, in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, local police responded to a call involving a house burglary. The father of the household, who had just gone out to buy groceries, made the call. Ana Paola, his 13-year-old daughter, was found under the bed, raped and murdered.
We are dealing with two pandemics: COVID-19 and femicide.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines femicide as “the gender-based murder of a woman or girl.”
Domestic violence is also at its peak worldwide, now that families are required to stay together in isolation.
During the crisis, the French helpline number for domestic abuse, 3919, has seen a 30% rise in calls. French official Marlène Schiappa announced the plan to assist domestic abuse victims by paying for 20,000 hotel bookings and contributing a million euros to organizations.
In Spain, a contingency plan was created for women who are domestic violence victims to receive psychological support through Whatsapp chats. From March 14 to 29, the 016 helpline received 521 more calls than the ones received in the month of February, according to radio and television broadcast RTVE Spain.
El #CMin aprueba un RDL de medidas urgentes para proteger y asistir a víctimas de #ViolenciasMachistas durante la crisis de #COVID19.
Los servicios de atención a víctimas son considerados esenciales. Deben permanecer abiertos y disponibles. #EsteVirusLoParamosUnidos pic.twitter.com/IugALdNosY
— La Moncloa (@desdelamoncloa) March 31, 2020
In Colombia, helpline 155 works as an orientation for women who suffer from any type of gender-related violence and is available 24 hours a day. From March 20 to 29, the line received 1,011 calls. Of those calls, 710 involved domestic violence, according to local published reports.
I can continue writing about similar cases in many countries across the world, but I would never finish. As I was searching for information on domestic violence during the quarantine, articles kept appearing. It was a never-ending research.
Even though there are multiple articles based on violence against women during this quarantine, it doesn’t seem to be such a relevant topic.
On April 5, António Guterres, a Portuguese politician and the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, shared a video on his Twitter appealing for peace in homes around the world.
Peace is not just the absence of war. Many women under lockdown for #COVID19 face violence where they should be safest: in their own homes.
Today I appeal for peace in homes around the world.
I urge all governments to put women’s safety first as they respond to the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/PjDUTrMb9v
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 6, 2020
I am not trying to elude the pandemic crisis we are currently in. I want people to acknowledge how unjust it is that even during the virus crisis, women suffer from violence.
I plead the readers for empathy toward the abuse victims. I mourn for the strong women who, unfortunately, are not with us today. And I hope the families that endure through these horrible events find peace.
