Self-reported Exposure to Domestic Violence and Family Dynamics During the Pandemic of Covid-19 in Malaysia
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Abstract
Introduction: Following the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, domestic violence (DV) victims had to be together with the perpetrator when lockdowns were implemented. The lockdown disrupted family dynamics and gave space for perpetrators to commit DV. This study aims to assess the prevalence of domestic violence in Malaysia during Covid-19 and its relationship with family dynamics, health, and sociodemographic factors. Materials and methods: This is a secondary analysis of the COMET-G study. By utilizing social media, the survey was distributed to the Malaysian communities using Google Forms. Associations between DV, family dynamics, health status and sociodemographic characteristics were measured using the Chi-Square test and correlation analysis. Results: Only 637 out of 936 participants who responded to the self-administered questionnaires answered questions related to DV. The overall prevalence of DV was 12.2% and the specific prevalence for both males and females was 13%. The highest prevalence of DV was among those aged below 20 years (16.7%), lived together without special relationship (28.6%), living in rural areas (17.1%), had primary education (21.2%), retirees (16%), lived together with three people (15.1%) and had two children (16.8%). DV was significantly associated with having chronic disease (p=0.024) and mental illness (p=0.009). Additionally, the need to communicate (p=0.028), general quality of relationships (p=0.001), and economic situation in comparison to before the Covid-19 lockdown (p=0.03) were significantly different between those who were exposed to DV and those who were not. Conclusion: Focusing on improving family dynamics can help prevent DV, especially among those with chronic illnesses and mental illnesses.
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