As if the COVID-19 pandemic were not causing enough chaos in America due to the numbers falling ill and the way shutdowns are affecting millions of families, divorce attorneys are seeing another ugly trend - a dramatic increase in domestic violence and child abuse.
With families confined together for so long with no way to resume a normal lifestyle in the near future, tempers are flaring and evidence of abuse is surging.
A Sudden Increase In Domestic Violence
Divorce and child abuse lawyers across the nation and the world are seeing a surge in divorce requests these days, with many of those requests due to claims of domestic violence.
Hospitals and doctors are seeing more victims of spousal and child abuse in emergency rooms nd claims of abuse within the family unit are skyrocketing.
Many domestic violence experts believe the reason for the sudden uptick in cases in the last few weeks is due to the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders in most global communities.
COVID-19 Stay-At-Home Orders A Likely Contributor
Since the onset of the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, spousal and child abuse is surging, likely due to the fact that so many people are stuck at home with no ability to give each other space.
Stay-at-home orders which began in March have disrupted the lives of millions of people by interrupting schedules, habits, and people’s ability to function normally.
Many child abuse lawyers and domestic welfare experts are stating that it's caused another epidemic, a scary side-effect of having to practice social distancing.
Financial And Emotional Stress Abounds
Beyond the issue of close quarters and people simply getting on each other’s nerves, experts are finding increased stress levels to be a huge part of the problem.
Financial stress due to lost jobs and compromised incomes as well as emotional stressors have put people on edge and made abuse more prevalent.
In situations where abuse was already going on and avoidance was a protective measure, spouses and children are now essentially trapped with their abusers while being forced to isolate at home.
Women and Girls Most At Risk
While abuse affects people of all genders and ages, research on the increase in cases is also beginning to show that women and children are most at risk during COVID stay-at-home orders.
As the numbers of reported domestic abuse cases rise, it’s become obvious that certain populations are more common victims of the results of stress that’s affecting so many people right now.
Contact An Attorney When Domestic Violence Persists
As stay-at-home orders remain in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, divorce attorneys are seeing a family crisis in the making as domestic abuse cases skyrocket.
Anyone caught in an abusive situation needs to reach out to a local domestic abuse agency that can help immediately and then talk to a family law attorney.
Most courts may be closed right now; however, lawyers to help clients with the devastation of domestic abuse can still help victims get legal protection if necessary!
Schreier & Housewirth Family Law
1329 College Avenue, Suite 100
Fort Worth TX 76104
817-923-9999
Gregory L. Housewirth is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist practicing in Fort Worth Texas. With 30 years of family law experience, Mr. Housewirth has represented hundreds of clients in divorce, custody, CPS, modification, and grandparent cases. In addition, Mr. Housewirth is a qualified family law mediator and a member of Collaborative Law Texas, a practice group dedicated to promoting collaborative divorce in Texas.
