Domestic Abuse Victims Are Terrified of Staying Home Right Now

The calls to self-quarantine can place some in imminent danger

the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic has been realized, calls for Americans to practice social distancing and self-quarantine have increased. The long-lasting social and financial ramifications of these necessary precautions remain unclear. But for the one in four women and one in nine men who experience intimate partner violence, the consequences are immediate: Staying home means staying in an unsafe, potentially deadly environment.

In the United States, an act of domestic violence occurs every 15 seconds, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Four women lose their lives every day as a result. Black women, in particular, are at a higher risk of experiencing intimate partner violence. Black women are two and a half times more likely to experience physical or sexual violence from a partner or spouse and three times more likely to die as a result. Domestic violence is among the leading causes of death for Black women ages 15 to 35.