Impact of Violence Connected with The COVID-19 Pandemic on Gender and its Mental Health Implications

Abstract

Violence, in its various interpersonal and societal manifestations, is a prevalent phenomena across cultures. Since violence at an interpersonal; as well as societal level, has been inextricably linked with existing socio-political-cultural and economic variables, violence related to the psychosocial crisis associated with the COVID-19 pandemic must be analysed primarily through a psychosocial lens in order to identify the factors that contribute to its emergence and persistence. The massive surge of information and COVID-19 related misinformation disseminated via the internet and social media, which is now referred to as a "infodemic"2, has also caused a wave of paranoia, fear of contagion, and health anxiety, which has aggravated the psychological and social instability in communities around the globe. 3 A culmination of the psychosocial pressures caused by the COVID- 19 epidemic has been an increase in incidences of violence, particularly directed towards interpersonal and familial dominance and women in particular.