Stress, disruption of protective networks, increased economic hardship can exacerbate the risk of women suffering violence during disasters and epidemics.
As Covid-19 cases surge once again in the Northeast region of India, stay-at-home orders have been put in place. The chances of women and their children being exposed to violence are dramatically increased, as witnessed in the 2020 Lockdowns.
North East Network has been working on the issue of domestic violence in Assam for the past 25 years. During this period, we have been closely associated with the Social Welfare Department in addressing the issue jointly through collaborative programmes and interventions. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic-related closures and lockdown, increasing numbers of cases of domestic violence against women and children are being reported to us from our field areas. We are remotely handling such domestic violence cases due to ongoing restrictions on mobility.
We are reaching out to women facing Domestic Abuse through our Gramin Mahila Kendra Help Line numbers.
