Calls about children impacted by domestic abuse soar during lockdown to highest on record

• Increased risks during the Covid-19 lockdown highlights its devastating impact on young people
• More than eight referrals made every week from the NSPCC Helpline to authorities in Wales about the impact of domestic abuse on children
• Research shows children are at serious risk of harm as domestic abuse is not always seen as a child protection issue

 Contacts to the NSPCC’s helpline about the impact of domestic abuse on children have surged by 30% since the start of the lockdown, to an average of one an hour.

Helpline staff responded to 1,500 contacts about domestic abuse from across the UK between 23 March and 17 May 2020, resulting in an average of more than eight referrals being made to local agencies in Wales each week (66 in total).

The charity argues the increased risks during the crisis further highlight the need to ensure that specialist support services are in place in every part of Wales to support children and young people experiencing domestic abuse.   The daily nightmare of violence and coercive control can have devastating impacts on children and they need specialist support to recover.

Currently, the UK Domestic Abuse Bill is at Committee stage in Westminster, which will be a crucial moment for ministers to listen to experts and recognise children’s experiences of abuse. There is already Welsh legislation, from 2015, which recognises children and young people as victims of abuse but parts of this new Bill will still apply to Wales.

The issue has been brought to the forefront by the COVID-19 crisis, with 1,500 adults telling the NSPCC’s Helpline about the risks to children who are trapped behind closed doors. Across the UK, 58% led to referrals or a referral update to the local authority.

In some cases, fears about the virus were exploited to withhold access to children, cut off contact to family and friends, and monitor victims’ movements under the pretext of keeping them safe from the virus. Victims said this made it difficult to leave and speak out.

“My ex-partner has taken my baby son away from me and I don’t know what to do. He stormed into the house the other day saying he was going to take the baby for a few days – he said he wouldn’t get to see him ‘til the summer cos of the lockdown. When I refused, he pushed me against the wall and took off with the baby and house keys. I’ve not heard from him since and I’m really worried about my baby’s safety. My ex can be a bit rough when he handles him, and he sometimes tell him to “shut the **** up”. I told my social worker what’s happened and they’re trying to locate him so I can get my baby back”. (Mother, NSPCC helpline)#

Even though children are not always the ones to suffer physical harm, they have told Childline they feel trapped and, in some cases, it has led to depression, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and eating disorders.

“I really need your help; my dad has been physically abusing my mum. He has an anger problem and it’s getting out of hand. The smallest things make him angry and he starts shouting. I’m terrified of him and I’ve had enough, I can’t take it anymore – please help me!” (Boy, aged 14, Childline)

“Mum says we can’t use our ‘emergency bags’ until after coronavirus is over”. (Girl, aged 13, Childline)

Jess, 29, from North Wales was emotionally abused by her father who beat her mother throughout her childhood. He was later jailed for an attack on his new partner after Jess and her mother gave evidence against him in court.

She said: “Lee would do anything and everything from holding a knife to my throat to forcing me watch horror movies just to see me squirm.

“The final straw came for me when Lee kept me up all night, ranting about wanting to kill mum, detailing exactly how he would do it if he could. He went on like this for hours and hours, refusing to let me sleep.

“Eventually when he went to the toilet, I ran out of the house -still in my pyjamas- to a shop where I called my mum’s friend for help.”

The abuse has had a long-lasting impact on Jess and she admits “it will affect me for the rest of my life.”

Vivienne Laing, Policy and Public Affairs Manager for NSPCC Cymru, said: “This crisis has shone a spotlight on children who are living with the daily nightmare of domestic abuse.

“We know that before the pandemic around one in five children have experienced domestic abuse and it can have a devastating and long-term impact on children’s physical and emotional wellbeing. The increase in calls to our helplines have shown that the pandemic may have intensified the damaging experiences of domestic abuse on children.’

“It is essential that every area of Wales establishes specialist services to provide  support for children and young people to enable them to recover from their experiences and that there are sufficient dedicated children workers in both refuge and community services to provide play and therapeutic work while the family is in crisis.’

Any adult concerned about the welfare of a child or young person can call the NSPCC helpline for free and confidential advice and support on 0808 800 5000 or via help@nspcc.org.uk.

Children can contact Childline for free on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk 365 days a year, and speak to a counsellor about a worry or concern they may have.