Domestic Impatience: The Social and Emotional Impact of COVID-19

The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) usually hold a radio program with various invited guests on a wide range of topic including Sexual Gender Based Violence and emerging issues.

On Tuesday 4th August, 2020, there was an episode anchored by Mr. Anthony D'Almeida and the guest was  Dr. Bright Oniovokukor the project director, Indomitable Youths Organization (IYO). Below were the flow of discussion: 

Most certainly asking what the corona virus is will be most ridiculous as we have young infants who are already in the know on what COVID-19 entails but there has been a relapsed focus on the virus by average Nigerians as many seem to regard it as a hoax or some means of extorting money from the citizenry or international bodies by the Nigerian Government, what are your thoughts on this?

 

R: You are right especially when some persons now use the term, when COVID-19 was in Nigeria. However, this has been worsened by the way the issue has been handled by some government personnel; it is painful that professionals allowed or were subjected to take directives from politicians on what ordinarily their professional expertise should be paramount. When money is involved, we know how the interest is in Nigeria.  

 

Q: We’ve seen a surge in domestic violence; do you think Corona virus has led to this spike?

 

R: My response is yes and no.

 

No because the perpetrators of domestic violence have always been but only that they may have had limited opportunity to exhibit their actions.

 

Yes, because of the following:

1.     The pandemic limited and restricted movement so people who have opportunity to use work, school or any opportunity to leave the house in order to escape domestic violence had their movement restricted and perpetrators had opportunity to have their way.

 

2.     Due to the effect of the pandemic, there has been a lot of frustrations, disappointments, business collapse, loss of jobs etc, some of the anger that emanated from these were used as transferred aggressions resulting in domestic violence. 

 

Q: Domestic Violence is more or less a global pandemic and has always existed in the country, would you say the pandemic has played a major role in exposing the dangers of domestic violence or its rather been a menace?

 

R: Yes, the pandemic has played a role in exposing the dangers very well. Some persons actually thought they were safe until the pandemic made them to be locked indoors for days with a lion that has been in sheep clothing for a very long time.

 

In Nigeria for example response to gender based violence was not initially listed as essential service during the lockdown considering that COVID-19 paralyzed almost everything. However, access to internet and social media services which increased during this pandemic actually gave room for some persons to be able to raise alarm.

 

Access to internet which has increased during this pandemic especially the use of media applications such as whatsapp and Facebook helped in raising of alarm; this also helped those who before now could not walk up to any responder to be able to raise alarm.   

 

Q: Looking at how much Covid19 has affected the world, what would you deem as the social and emotional impact of covid19?

 

R: It created some advantages and disadvantages depending on the side of the divide you belong.

 

Result from a Psychosocial and Mental Impact of COVID-19 done recently showed that COVID-19 the following:

-         65% of respondents said it affected think.

-         67.8% of respondents said it affected how they reacted to people.

-         50.3% of respondents said nothing happened to their relationship

-         20.3% of respondents said their relationship improved with their partner

-         13.3% of respondents said it caused problem in their relationship.

-         91.6% of respondents said no thought of harming them self came due to the challenges they were facing?

 

So from these figures, for some it was a period of break to rest and bond with families while for some others it was being locked in case with a lion. One major thing is that it has been a period of discovering for many partners while many people have actually discovered and adopted alternative means of interaction.  

 

Q: There have been talks on accepting status quo as the new normal, how long do you think we can all adapt to this new normal?

 

R: It is actually a matter of no choice because 97.2% of respondent in that same survey said that Nigerians have a role to play in stopping the spread of Corona Virus.

 

The virus would one day go away, if only Nigerians take it as a personal responsibility to ensure that the recommended precautions are taken…..regular use of facemask in public places if physical distance cannot be maintained, regular washing of hand, use of hand sanitizers, use of proper coughing and sneezing ethics then avoiding gathering if possible by staying at home if not absolutely necessary.     

 

Q: Do you suppose this new normal can effectively tackle domestic violence? In the sense that we have to work from home more often and by so doing having to stay with your abuser, but being well aware that there is a fight against domestic violence, these abusers will contain their anger issues per se?

 

R: We need to live in line with what we are currently facing in terms of the pandemic, however, one thing that is expected for anyone facing domestic violence is to speak out.

 

The capacity of those responding to Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) should be built.

 

There is also an urgent need for people at grass root to be aware of what SGBV entails as well as actions to be taken when the need arises. We are currently thinking working around a concept that would help in proper awareness creation in this regard. Yes, ignorance is not an excuse but people need to be informed.

 

Q: This being the case and not knowing how long this new normal will linger on how do you suggest victims of domestic violence live with their abusers without being severely hurt?

 

R: We hope to get support to help us activate the concept that would help us to sensitize the community (households) on what Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) actually entails and the penalties to perpetrators of Sexual and Gender Based Violence.

 

This would go long way to curb it knowing that COVID-19 did not create domestic violence, it only made it pronounced.

 

Q: Looking at how much the pandemic has affected Nigerians now, what do you advise as a solution to adapting to these impacts?

 

R: A lot has been spoken about this; let everyone take responsibility that would help us to eliminate the virus from our community. We need to activate various systems and sustain them in a manner it would help people to speak out and perpetrators punished to serve as deterrent to others.   

 

Q: What measures do you suppose the Nigerian Government can put in place to also curtail the effect of the virus on the people?

 

R: There is an expected tone from the top, NCDC has put guidelines in place and these guidelines should be enforced. Painfully, the key policy makers are the very ones violating these guidelines.

 

Check political campaigns currently going on in Edo State while the law enforcement agents has seen it as opportunity to make money. The Presidential Task Force and State Response Teams should wake up to their responsibility of enforcing these measures without violating human rights or extortion.  

 

Q: The effect of the pandemic has been predicted to linger on till three to six months, which will further affect more small businesses and in turn more citizens. As a result, consumers will have low purchasing power as some small businesses will be affected due to low turnout of sales and reduced economic activities. What do you advise as an individual to do so as not to get overwhelmed by the pangs of the pandemic?

R: We have lived with it for some months now and the reality of it has been obvious to us overtime. For me, I think, we should find a way to adapt our various business and lifestyle to emerging developments by most especially putting all the precautions in place.    

 

Q: Final Words on Domestic Impatience and the social and emotional impact of Covid19.

Let me thank West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) with the support of Urgent Action Fund-Africa for deeming it fit to invite me for this program. 

I want to remind listeners that COVID-19 is real and all who are facing challenge should find a way to speak out and that perpetrators out there should know that they are committing offence against the State and the arm of the law would soon catch up with them.

I would also use this medium to appeal to partners to look at the concept we have developed with WANEP as its implementation would help to address a lot of SGBV matters.