When a home turns into a prison – combating domestic violence in conditions of quarantine and isolation

Abstract

One of the basic measures to prevent the spread of many infectious diseases is to distance oneself from other people. It is therefore no coincidence that in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Polish legislator has resorted to such solutions as home isolation of patients, quarantine of people who have come into contact with the infected, and restrictions on the activities of institutions gathering many people. Similar methods were used in other countries. One of the more dramatic side effects of the ban on leaving home is the exposure of isolated people to violence in the household. The simultaneous suspension of the activity of aid institutions makes it much more difficult for the victim to obtain support. The text deals with the problem of legal and factual measures to counteract domestic violence in conditions of separation. The authors
analyze Polish legal regulations, both those introduced for the purpose of counteracting domestic violence and those specifically, related to combating the virus. They are looking for answers to the question of what measures are effective in combating domestic violence in the extreme time of the pandemic. They recognize, however, that the experiences from this period can increase the level of protection of victims of violence at all times.