Country Brief: Violence Against Women in the Time of COVID-19

Since the first COVID-19 case was detected in in Lebanon in February 2020, the shadow pandemic of violence that has run parallel against women has yet to flatten its curve. Evidence across the country indicates that the risks have soared, along with call volumes on domestic violence hotlines, with strong indications of increased prevalence and severity. In May 2020, UN Women and UNFPA undertook primary data collection around issues of violence against women (VAW), surveying over 1500 people across the country, online, from a cross-range of demographics, to understand trends and attitudes during the early COVID-19 lockdown measures in Lebanon. 

The results detailed in this country brief overwhelming speak to increased concerns for safety, both inside and outside the home (as a result of the pandemic), increased secondary trauma, specifically, the witnessing of violence against women, and online harassment. Most respondents believed tackling gender-based violence to be a priority in the COVID-19 response and voiced a willingness to report violations.