PROTECT COVID 19
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PROTECT COVID 19: Exploring lived experiences of the impact of intimate partner violence and abuse on children, affected family members and perpetrators during the COVID- 19 global pandemic.
IRAS ID
290607
Contact name
Hayley Alderson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Parental intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) is a prevalent and substantial concern spanning public health; child protection; Criminal Justice; Health and Social care, and other voluntary/statutory organisations. The harms associated with parental IPVA to the victims, children and families include social and psychological problems, physical ill-health, poor mental wellbeing and financial problems. Children who have been exposed to parental IPVA are significantly more likely to experience mental health problems, have lower educational performance and suffer ill health resulting in poor life chances.
Many of these harms are often hidden however, and the true scale of parental IPVA is unknown - especially true within the current pandemic when incidents of violence and abuse may go unreported. Ongoing research has identified a changed multi-agency response to parents who have been affected by IPVA during lockdown. Practitioners have been attempting to support parents to stay safe within the abusive and violent relationship - a substantial shift in practice, which previously typically assisted victims to exit abusive relationships. The current pandemic context results in alternative accommodation, such as hotels, being deemed to be ‘unsafe’ or unsuitable to women and their children fleeing IPVA.
We will work within our extensive police and multi-agency networks to recruit parents who are victims/survivors and perpetrators of IPVA and other adult family members. We will conduct in-depth interviews to understand their perception of the multi-agency response to parental IPVA during COVID-19, including barriers and facilitators to engaging with the police and multi-agency partners. We will examine best practice approaches from the parents’ and adult family members’ perspective and make recommendations for future practice based upon our findings. This work is important to inform responses to parental IPVA within our social recovery from the pandemic, as well as learning essential lessons to plan for and respond to future lockdowns.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NW/0469
Date of REC Opinion
25 Jan 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion