Brabete, A. C., Greaves, L., Poole, N., Wolfson, L., Stinson, J., Allen, S.
Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health Vancouver, BC Canada
Introduction
Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects 1 in 3 women globally [1]. In the context of COVID-19, UN WOMEN named violence against women a “shadow pandemic” and called for immediate action [2]. In Canada, 1 in 10 women are currently worried about their safety [3], and IPV services experiencing increased pressure. Social isolation, and lockdowns have exacerbated IPV, similar to
patterns seen in previous disasters and epidemics. Available data indicate that stress, anxiety, and financial worries related to COVID-19 and containment may also lead to increases in
substance use (SU).