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Abstract: 

There may be no greater tools for domestic abusers to control, harm, and intimidate their victims than isolation and increased dependence. As social distancing remains the chief strategy to manage and flatten the curve of COVID-19, social and economic support systems, such as school; work; counseling; public services; and family, friend, and community connections are interrupted, enhancing opportunities for domestic abuse. At the same time, criminal justice professionals upon whom victims rely for emergency intervention are compromised and operating at reduced capacity, disrupting important lifelines for victims and implicating offender accountability and public safety. All of these recent and abrupt changes have left domestic violence victims, who already may be hesitant or unwilling to seek help or to participate in the criminal justice system—due to witness intimidation, dynamics of power and control, or feelings of love and loyalty toward the perpetrator - more vulnerable to the cycle of violence. The challenges that have arisen during this time, however, are by no means insurmountable. This article examines the ways in which system professionals can still work to protect victims and hold offenders accountable by adapting current investigation, prosecution, and advocacy strategies to be responsive to the context of the current pandemic.

Keywords: Social Distancing Impact: Bail and Early Release; Investigation and Case Processing; Court Hearings

Affiliations:  1: AEquitas; 2: AEquitas.