key: cord-0784039-c8xyzwxn authors: Fore, Henrietta H.; Cappa, Claudia title: Violence against Children in the Time of COVID-19: What we have learned, what remains unknown and the opportunities that lie ahead date: 2020-10-13 journal: Child Abuse Negl DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104776 sha: 10dee40d12f2e9c7e22d03e37cc85d3e17c4fffd doc_id: 784039 cord_uid: c8xyzwxn nan The emergence of COVID-19 as a global pandemic has disrupted the daily lives of children and families around the world, with impacts both immediate and likely long-lasting. Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, the international community recognized violence against children to be both universal and widespread, affecting children in every country, regardless of wealth or social status (UNICEF, 2014) . We also know that girls and boys experience violence across all stages of childhood, often at the hands of trusted individuals with whom they interact on a daily basis (UNICEF, 2017). Sadly, most child victims never disclose their experiences of violence to anyone or seek help . J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f Now, more than six months into the pandemic, researchers across the globe are attempting to find out how the health and socioeconomic crisis brought about by the coronavirus is affecting children's exposure to violence. More data are needed to strengthen the evidence base on this issue. However, findings are beginning to emerge, pointing to increased risks for victimization as well as changes in the demand for and delivery of services. For instance, a recent study of a community sample of parents in the United States found that job loss during the pandemic posed a significant risk factor for child abuse, particularly psychological maltreatment (Lawson, Piel, & Simon, 2020) . Closing schools also carries risks. Teachers are generally alert to signs of abuse and neglect among children, and studies have indeed found that drops in reporting to child protection authorities by school personnel have tended to coincide with school closures (Baron, Goldstein, & Wallace, 2020) . And despite the Internet's extraordinary capability to facilitate remote learning and connections with the outside world, it can also make children vulnerable to a myriad of dangers. Studies have shown increased exposure to abusive online content during periods of lockdown (Babvey et al., 2020) . This is tied with growing concerns about elevated risks of sexual exploitation of children amid increased sharing of online pornographic materials (INTERPOL, 2020) . On the other hand, the Internet is also being used as a medium for talking about violence and disclosing personal experiences (Babvey et al., 2020) . Widespread interruptions in the reporting and referral mechanisms of child protection services have been observed. In fact, UNICEF estimates that 1.8 billion children live in countries where violence prevention and response services have been disrupted due to COVID-19 (UNICEF, 2020b) . Services typically delivered in person, such as case management and home visits for those J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f at risk of abuse, have been most affected, whereas child helplines have experienced the least disruption. An analysis of data from 48 child helplines around the world revealed that, since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in the total number of contacts, with most users requesting information on COVID and accessibility of various services (Petrowski, Cappa, Pereira, Mason, & Aznar Daban, in press ). However, the evidence on contacts related to violence is mixed: some child helplines recorded an increase; others showed a decline in reporting of violence. Such fluctuations are likely to represent victims' ability and willingness to access services during periods of lockdowncircumstances that are important to document. While much has been learned, far more remains unknown, partly for the lack of baseline data. Despite global advances in increasing the availability of data on violence against children , only about one in five countries have sufficient data to assess progress toward related Sustainable Development Goal targets (UNICEF, 2020a). This is due, in large part, to limited investments in routine surveys necessary to obtain prevalence estimates on children's experiences of violence . Persistent weaknesses also exist in many countries in administrative data systems, which provide information on number of incidents identified and reported to authorities and service providers (UNICEF, 2020c). In the absence of comparable data, it may not be possible to understand what changes have occurred and how they may be linked to COVID-19 related prevention measures. Even in countries where baseline data on prevalence and service utilization exist, some overarching knowledge gaps remain. For instance, it is not clear whether the pandemic's impact primarily represents an increase in the severity and frequency of violence against children with a history of abuse, or whether it points to an increase in the overall magnitude and scale and, thus, the number of children who are victimized. Future J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f research will also be needed to understand how the COVID-19 crisis has affected the risk of children's exposure to forms of violence outside the home, such as peer and community violence. Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, governments have struggled to meet unprecedented demands and, in many cases, have responded creatively and adapted services to meet critical child protection needs. Maintaining workforce safety has been a key concern and, increasingly, remote case management is being used to overcome challenges posed by social distancing requirements. In Malaysia, for example, social work practice is being adapted through greater use of phone and virtual contact to identify and assess children and families at risk, provide psychosocial support and assist families to manage stress and mental health (Maestral International & UNICEF, N.D.) . Where the immediate safety of children is concerned, however, direct contact with children in their usual living environment remains imperative. Many governments are designating social workers as "essential" for child protection service delivery and providing them with the personal protective equipment necessary to continue their work with children and families, according to UNICEF field reports and government sources in Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Ethiopia, the United States and other countries. In the Dominican Republic, national authorities strengthened their response to online child sexual exploitation, including e-hearings of cases, public messaging on ways to report these violations of children's rights, and support for national response coordination through virtual means (UNICEF Country Office). Officials in Australia have noted rises in stress, worry and self-harm indicators in cyberbullying complaints. In turn, the country has strengthened the portal for online child protection to respond to specific COVID-19 related risks (Government of Australia eSafety J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f Commissioner, N.D.). Among other resources, the portal includes tools for schools to support the development of effective online safety policies and procedures, as well as guidelines for responding to online safety incidents. In Georgia, a new child helpline has been overwhelmed by COVID-19 related calls. In response, a mechanism has been set up to screen and prioritize calls where children are at high risk. In addition, the network of psychologists, social workers and probation officers providing services to children and families has been reinforced (UNICEF Georgia, 2020). In the Philippines, as in many countries, students were forced to stay home when classes began this year. As a precautionary measure, the Department of Education has boosted its child protection policy for online learning (Manila Bulletin, 2020a) and adjusted its reporting mechanism to respond to possible cases of child abuse at home (Manila Bulletin, 2020b). To mitigate the risk that containment measures could lead to increased violence in the home, governments are developing innovative ways of delivering positive parenting resources. In Jordan and Montenegro, for example, face-to-face parenting groups quickly pivoted to online platforms, text messaging and telephone calls (UNICEF Country Offices). Parenting resources developed through the Parenting for Lifelong Health Initiative have reached more than 80 million people through a variety of media, and are being adopted by 29 governments (Lachman & Cluver, 2020) . In fact, the pandemic has opened up new possibilities for rapidly scaling up parenting programs through remote delivery, although the effectiveness of this approach in improving caregiver and child outcomes requires further research. J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented the world with complex questions and challenges. A growing body of research is helping answer such questions, by exposing new risks but also providing insights into possible entry points for intervention. When it comes to violence prevention and response, governments have responded by rethinking service delivery and by seeking opportunities to explore out-of-the-box solutions and strategies. Additional studies will be needed to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of such interventions. However, it is also likely that, as a result, services to victims of violence will become more agile and resilient in future crises. We need to harness this knowledge and momentum to reimagine a world free of violence for every child. J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f Using social media data for assessing children's exposure to violence during the COVID-19 pandemic Suffering in silence: How COVID-19 school closures inhibit the reporting of child maltreatment Thirty years after the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Progress and challenges in building statistical evidence on violence against children Tips for staying safe online during the COVID-19 pandemic Threats and trends: Child sexual exploitation and abuse, COVID-19 impact Parenting for Lifelong Health: COVID-19 playful parenting emergency response Child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Consequences of parental job loss on psychological and physical abuse towards children Protecting children during COVID-19: Tips for social workers and social welfare practitioners DepEd boosts child protection policy for online learning DepEd to adjust reporting system for child abuse amid COVID-19 pandemic Disclosure, reporting and help seeking among child survivors of violence: A cross country analysis Violence against children during COVID-19: Assessing and understanding change in use of helplines Hidden in Plain Sight: A statistical analysis of violence against children A Familiar Face: Violence in the lives of children and adolescents A Generation to Protect: Monitoring violence, exploitation and abuse of children within the SDG framework Protecting Children from Violence in the Time of COVID-19: Prevention and response service disruptions Strengthening the availability and quality of administrative data on violence against children: Challenges and promising practices from a review of country experiences United Nations Children's Fund Georgia