Reports of domestic violence against women in Albania doubled during April 2020, amidst coronavirus lockdown, compared to the same period last year.
On Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador Yuri Kim and Swedish Ambassador Elsa Håstad hosted a forum with 13 organizations to address gender-based violence during coronavirus restrictions.
“In April, the National Helpline for Women and Girls received 975 reporting calls compared to 312 in April 2019, and 90 percent of them received support services from the local organizations working on gender-based violence issues,” the U.S. Embassy announced.
Participants pointed at an increased number of cases of gender-based violence and related issues, ranging from a higher risk of violence from family members, lack of financial means due to informal employment, higher risk of health problems, and increased difficulties in access to justice due the lock-down measures.
They called on the government and the public for a more comprehensive response to prevent gender-based violence and offer the necessary support to its victims.
Exit News has previously reported on the increased rate and severity of abuses and domestic violence during the lockdown.
