More Suffering Violence At Home Amid Pandemic

Covid-19 has created or worsened tensions at home, say social workers, who are getting more calls for help

- Theresa Tan, Senior Social Affairs Correspondent

She was a professional in her 30s and, for more than five years, endured in silence brutal abuse from her violent husband.

He was controlling, checked her calls and was prone to flying into a rage if he did not get what he wanted.

The mother of two young children did not seek help until he beat her up so badly that she landed in hospital with a blood clot in her shoulder.

The hospital alerted the social workers at Care Corner Project StART.

Care Corner Project StART lead social worker Kristine Lam, who has been working with the woman since 2019, said she had found ways to cope with her husband’s controlling and violent streak.

But the pandemic took her to a breaking point.

Ms Lam said: “She felt trapped when her husband started to work from home during the pandemic, and she did not feel safe with him around the clock.”

To avoid angering him, she gave in to his wishes and he has not hit her again, as far as Ms Lam is aware.