One in three has reported to have been affected by physical or psychological domestic violence, according to reports from Le Soir based on a study looking into the impact of confinement on the increasing risk of domestic violence.
The ULiège’s clinical psychology service for delinquency conducted an online survey including 1,530 Walloon and Brussels people, who have been confined in couples, to understand the factors that triggered conjugal violence.
Whilst 33% reported that they were involved in physical or psychological violence during confinement, a higher percentage of men, 13%, testified to using physical violence on their partner, compared to 7% of women.
When it came to psychological violence, 32% of women confessed to using this type of violence, in comparison with a fourth of the male respondents.
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Although being at home more often did contribute as a stress factor, the study did not find a direct link between teleworking and violence in couples.
However the study did find that the risk of violence increased as the length of the duration of the relationship decreased, meaning the younger the relationship, the more risk there was.
The study found the same was true for the size of the living space: the smaller the space in which couples were confined, the higher the chances of psychological or physical violence were.
Other major factors identified as determinants of violence in couples were depression, anxiety and uncertainty.
Lauren Walker
The Brussels Times
