UPDATE: May 11, 2020, 5:39 p.m. EDT The video by the Chicago chapter of UN Women was pulled by the larger UN Women organization because UN Women felt it showed women as victims rather than strong individuals and therefore didn't meet its standards. Additionally, an earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that UN Women was directly involved in on-the-ground efforts to support domestic violence victims in various countries. Rather, UN Women is focused on raising awareness of the issue. Mashable has also removed the link to donate to the fund as it was incorrect.
While staying at home is necessary to combat the spread of coronavirus and protect your community, for those experiencing domestic violence, it can be frightening or even dangerous.
A new video from the Chicago chapter of UN Women USA called Behind the Mask highlights this issue. In it, somber music plays as a woman wearing a face mask stares solemnly at the camera. After a few seconds, she removes it to reveal her bruised cheekbone and a deep gash over her lip. After she removes her mask, the screen goes black, while text appears on-screen reading "For millions of women, staying at home doesn't mean staying safe."
Indeed, globally, 243 million women and girls experienced sexual or physical violence at the hands of an intimate partner over the last year. Across the US, police departments reported an increase in domestic violence-related calls in March. What's more, the U.N. Population Fund says at least 15 million more cases of gender-based violence are expected to occur worldwide for every three months that government lockdowns are extended.
Topics Activism Health Social Good COVID-19
