1. Crises, Stress and Isolation
Pandemics & Lockdowns
Events like the COVID-19 pandemic created a “shadow pandemic” of domestic violence. Forced lock-downs trapped potential victims with abusers, shrinking opportunities to seek help or escape. Routine disruptions, loss of income, and soaring stress—especially in economically vulnerable families—amplified aggression and conflict.
Natural Disasters & Crises
Historical data still show spikes in domestic violence following disasters—such as after earthquakes or hurricanes. For instance, abuse reports surged after Hurricane Katrina and the Mount St. Helens eruption.
2. Economic Insecurity and Power Imbalances
Financial hardship erodes stability. Economic anxiety—triggered by unemployment or inflation—heightens tensions at home. Some abusers may react violently when their identity or societal role is threatened.
In places with restrictive abortion laws, studies show a 7–10% rise in intimate partner violence, as women are trapped in abusive relationships by financial dependencies or legal constraints.
3. Technological Tools Fueling Abuse
Advances in technology, while powerful, are increasingly wielded for harm. There’s been a dramatic increase—700% in Sydney—of domestic violence involving digital surveillance tools: spyware, GPS trackers concealed in personal items like toys, and covert use of devices to monitor victims.
4. Greater Awareness and Reporting
Some of the increase in cases reported reflects higher levels of public awareness and willingness to report abuse. Movements like #MeToo and enhanced training for health and workplace professionals have encouraged survivors to come forward.
In Queensland, for example, domestic violence breaches recently overtook drug offenses for the first time—not only due to actual rise but also because more victims felt supported enough to report.
5. Normalization of Violence via Culture & Media
Younger people, particularly in Australia, have shown troubling normalization of abusive behavior influenced by misogynistic content—like pornography and influencer culture—linking phenomena like strangulation during sex to what they’re consuming online.
In the UK, coercive control and physical threats—especially strangulation—against women aged 16–25 have risen significantly (9% increase in strangulation or suffocation cases).
6. Societal & Legal System Limitations
Cultural Justifications
In some communities, harmful traditional or cultural justifications for domestic violence persist, such as in parts of Australia where customary law is misused to rationalize abuse.
Latin America also grapples with deep-rooted machismo and gender roles that tacitly condone violence against women as “discipline”.
Resource Constraints
Cuts in funding and shelter services leave survivors with nowhere to turn. For example, freezes on funding for domestic violence programs in some regions have severely limited survivor options. Even where protective laws exist (e.g. Nigeria’s VAPP Act), enforcement is often weak—only about 12% of reported cases result in convictions.
7. Youth Exposure & Intergenerational Effects
Domestic violence begets domestic violence. In areas like Mount Isa, Australia, rampant family violence is closely linked to youth crime, pointing to the multi-generational trauma resulting from exposure to abuse.
8. Seasonal and Situational Spikes
Domestic violence tends to spike during high-stress periods like Christmas—when families are together and typical escape routes (work, school) are closed off—all aggravated by alcohol and financial pressures.
In view of all these, we’ve also compiled a summary of the above. Take a quick look at it below.
Summary: Multiple Interacting Causes
Domestic violence is rising due to a web of interlinked factors:
- Crisis-driven vulnerability — lockdowns, disasters, pandemics.
- Economic strain — job loss, poverty, restricted reproductive rights.
- Digital tools weaponized — technology enabling remote control and surveillance.
- Increased reporting — growing awareness and reduced stigma.
- Cultural norms — misogyny and traditional gender expectations.
- Insufficient legal and support infrastructure.
- Perpetuation across generations.
- Context-specific surges — holidays, social isolation periods.
Why It Matters – Turning Insight into Action
Understanding these drivers is critical to crafting effective responses:
- Strengthen support infrastructure — shelters, helplines, legal aid.
- Economic empowerment — financial supports to reduce dependency.
- Digital safeguarding — laws against digital abuse, tech literacy.
- Education & awareness — healthy relationship teaching, media literacy.
- Legal reform & enforcement — remove cultural loopholes, ensure accountability.
- Cultural change — challenge norms that excuse or normalize abuse.
This is a complex, multifaceted crisis—requiring coordinated societal, legal, and policy responses across economic, cultural, and technological domains. We hope that issues of domestic violence will reduce in the future.
