The intersection between experiences of long COVID & intimate partner violence

Despite well-established evidence of the increased risk of IPV during the first two years of the pandemic, to date there has been no global research examining how victim-survivors’ experiences of long COVID uniquely impact their safety and support needs. Recognising that this critical global issue intersects with public health, women’s economics and safety priorities, this project sought to address this significant gap in current knowledge in Australia and internationally.

This report seeks to put the interpersonal safety and support needs of individuals diagnosed with long COVID on the political agenda. Globally, no attention has been paid to the intersection between long COVID and intimate partner violence. This is staggering, given that past research documents that victim-survivors of IPV against women are twice as likely to develop long-term illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia (Chandan et al., 2023). The significance of this project’s findings lies in its ambition to make visible the previously unseen impacts of long COVID on individuals living with domestic violence.

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