Covid-19 is awful.
It is highly contagious, debilitating
for many, and lives are lost.
There is no sustainable medical cure and
no vaccine. It is non-discriminatory. Covid-19 infects royalty as it does the disadvantaged.
It is a pandemic the likes of which we haven’t
seen since the Spanish Flu.
There is a clear pathway for those
impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The pathway includes triage followed by
a decision as to the need for hospitalisation, intensive care or home
quarantine all backed up by a regime of testing.
For those who cannot work, Jobkeeper is
allowing a semblance of financial normality while support and relief options
are in place in the hope businesses may recover, re-open and resume employment.
Be it medical or economic initiatives,
all are in place with overall united support from all points of the political
compass.
Then there is what I am calling the other
pandemic, one that has been inflicting hardship, pain and death throughout our
communities for years counted in decades. This pandemic has also united all
points of our political compass be it by way of apathy and inaction cloaked in
the camouflage of occasional outbreaks of targeted, strategically timed
statements and speeches, public appearances and photo opportunities.
I am talking Domestic Abuse and I am
referring to it as a pandemic.
Domestic Abuse has many, if not all of
the Covid-19 characteristics. First and foremost, it strikes without
discrimination. If impacts all races, religions and all social, religious, educational,
economic and geographical demographics.
Domestic Abuse victims also recover at
home essentially in isolation, in hospitals including intensive care as need be
and victims may also lose their life.
Just like Covid-19.
Our political leaders and media
commentators have expressed concern at the impact isolation is having on
Domestic Abuse. They are even suggesting addressing the issue.
What rubbish.
No victim is feeling any more fearful
now than they were in January. What is needed now, was needed before Covid-19.
The only difference is increased opportunity for abuse by perpetrators already
inclined to do so.
If only our politicians were as quick and
decisive in responce to the Domestic Abuse pandemic as to the Covid-19
challenges.
My isolation allows time to consider this
and much more too.
First of all, we can all see the impacts
of Covid-19. The number of cases, fatalities and tests are broadcast pretty
much every hour of every day.
Politicians hold press briefings daily
and answer questions about the pandemic. In fact, they dismiss any non Covid-19
related questions.
Politicians, like everyone else,
understand and feel the economic impact of businesses being shuttered and incomes
being reduced. There is also an easy response. Provide money and support to
people and businesses.
However, our politicians do not, and
largely cannot understand Domestic Abuse.
The overwhelming majority of politicians
are men.
'Us' Men fall in to two categories when
considering Domestic Abuse.
The first category are those men who
perform acts of Domestic Abuse. I have read numerous reports and studies that
suggest a staggering one in eight of us men commit acts of Domestic Abuse.
The second category are those men who do
not and have not committed acts of Domestic Abuse.
The fundamental problem is, those men in
the first category certainly do not want to address the issue so stay silent
and;
Those in the second category simply do
not understand how anyone could commit such atrocities. Worse still, the second
category routinely argue the abused should just leave, walk away, remove
themselves from the situation, take control, protect themselves and other
similar rhetoric.
Logically, I will know a male who is a
Domestic Abuser. I do not know who they are but on the basis of the numbers, I
must know someone who is.
Logically, I will also know women who
are victims of Domestic Abuse. In several cases, I know who they are and in two
cases, I have had conversations, sad, terrifying conversations with them about
this.
In all the cases I have personal
knowledge of, the victims share common traits and qualities.
They are all highly educated and overtly
intelligent. They are all superb communicators, verbally and written. They are
all highly successful in their chosen careers and are all strong and independent.
They are also all now in second or subsequent loving, supporting and successful
relationships and are all Mothers.
Likewise, the two I have spoken to, all
express the fear and helplessness they felt causing an inability to leave, the financial
and social control imposed upon them and a real concern for their life and the
lives of their children.
It is understandable that so little
changes in the providing of support pathways for Domestic Abuse victims when
the policy and decisions makers are dominated by men like me who cannot
understand or even imagine the true impact and challenges faced.
We quite rightly unlock funds to
implement Jobkeeper and Business support programs to help us through the
economic and societal impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is way past time we unlocked funds to
provide a safe physical pathway for Domestic Abuse victims and made these
widely known by way of an ongoing multi media advertising campaign. The objective
being that everyone knows what action they can take to be provided support and
help, the number to call, the email address or direct message to use, even a
safe or code word to use to a Doctor, Dentist, Pharmacist, Community Care
Professional or Police Officer.
It is also past time to fund financial
support programs so victims can transition to independent lives knowing they
are not trapped in a dangerous living arrangement due to a lack of financial
resources.
I would argue the primary differences
between the Pandemic of Covid-19 and the Pandemic of domestic abuse is there is
a readily available medical and financial treatment for victims of the later,
perhaps even calling it a vaccine of sorts.
A final point if I may.
Whenever I write about Domestic Abuse or
dysfunctional behaviour towards women, I receive many comments and messages
mostly of a critical and almost abusive nature. Many also follow a similar
theme.
When commenting or messaging I provide
the following information:
Be assured, I do know there are also
male victims of Domestic Violence. Like you, I also know these are in the
significant, hugely significant minority.
Similarly, like you, I know that domestic
violence related deaths of Women are frightening and are of numbers in
Australia that far outweigh the current fatality threat of Covid-19 in this
country.
Finally, be they positive, supportive or
otherwise, I long ago determined I would not publish comments that are
submitted on the blog. Notwithstanding, I do read and appreciate the
engagement.
Given the seriousness of todays musings,
I will leave the frivolity of a book and podcast discussions for another week.
Stay safe, stay diligent and keep caring
for each other.
Colin Morley
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