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“Stuck Due to COVID”: Applying the Power and Control Model to Migrant and Refugee Women’s Experiences of Family Domestic Violence in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Azriel Lo

    (Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia)

  • Georgia Griffin

    (Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia)

  • Hana Byambadash

    (Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia)

  • Erin Mitchell

    (Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia)

  • Jaya A. R. Dantas

    (Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic had acute and lasting gendered impacts around the world, with UN Women declaring a shadow pandemic of violence against women. This study aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant and refugee women’s experiences of family domestic violence (FDV) in Western Australia (WA) using a community-based participatory research approach. Thirty-eight interviews and two qualitative surveys conducted with 27 women were included in the analysis. Interview and survey data underwent reflexive thematic analysis informed by the Power and Control Wheel, generating three themes and ten subthemes: (1) the facets of violence women experienced (isolation; economic violence; emotional violence; visa vulnerabilities; fear and uncertainty), (2) the systemic enablers of FDV and barriers to seeking help (FDV service provision; the immigration system), and (3) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and government measures on women and family (enabling FDV; reducing the impact of FDV; COVID-19 paled into insignificance). While for some migrant and refugee women, government measures facilitated access to support for FDV, our findings show that for others, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and became part of the violence they had already experienced. Recommendations for tailored FDV and other support during the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed, including the expansion of family violence provisions for all visa types.

Suggested Citation

  • Azriel Lo & Georgia Griffin & Hana Byambadash & Erin Mitchell & Jaya A. R. Dantas, 2025. "“Stuck Due to COVID”: Applying the Power and Control Model to Migrant and Refugee Women’s Experiences of Family Domestic Violence in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(4), pages 1-29, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:4:p:627-:d:1636136
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Liudmila Rozanova & Alexander Temerev & Antoine Flahault, 2020. "Comparing the Scope and Efficacy of COVID-19 Response Strategies in 16 Countries: An Overview," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-17, December.
    2. William Msemburi & Ariel Karlinsky & Victoria Knutson & Serge Aleshin-Guendel & Somnath Chatterji & Jon Wakefield, 2023. "The WHO estimates of excess mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic," Nature, Nature, vol. 613(7942), pages 130-137, January.
    3. Matthew James Cook & Gabriela Guizzo Dri & Prishanee Logan & Jia Bin Tan & Antoine Flahault, 2020. "COVID-19 Down Under: Australia’s Initial Pandemic Experience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Thi Thu Le Pham & Janneke Berecki-Gisolf & Angela Clapperton & Kerry S. O’Brien & Sara Liu & Katharine Gibson, 2021. "Definitions of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) : A Literature Review of Epidemiological Research in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-23, January.
    5. Shubhda Arora & Mrinmoy Majumder, 2021. "Where is my home?: Gendered precarity and the experience of COVID‐19 among women migrant workers from Delhi and National Capital Region, India," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(S2), pages 307-320, July.
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