Angelina Jolie calls for 'overall protection' of vulnerable children amid coronavirus pandemic
Angelina Jolie, who has been very vocal about backing causes that improve the welfare of children, has spoken out about how they are at particular risk during this COVID-19 pandemic, but not from the virus itself.
In an op-ed for Time Magazine, Jolie, a mother to six children, wrote about how the young are vulnerable to some of the secondary impacts of the pandemic on society that are not spoken about enough.
"Of the many ways that the pandemic is making us rethink our humanity, none is more important, or urgent, than the overall protection of children. They may not be as susceptible to the virus as other groups, but they are especially vulnerable to so many of the secondary impacts of the pandemic on society," she wrote.
She also wrote that the economic fallout accompanying the outbreak, which has resulted in the losses of thousands of jobs, has increased the stress, pressure, and uncertainty for families which, in turn, increases the risk for domestic violence.
"In America, an estimated 1 in 15 children is exposed to intimate partner violence each year — 90% of them as eyewitnesses to the violence," she wrote. "An average of 137 women across the world are killed by a partner or family member every day. We will never know in how many of these cases there is a child in the next room — or in the room itself."
Jolie, 44, pointed out that the social distancing that has been necessary to stop COVID-19 would inadvertently result in a direct rise in trauma and suffering for vulnerable children as isolating the victim from family and friends was a well-known tactic used by abusers.
MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) previously reported that France and Australia had already reported a spike in domestic abuse cases since the outbreak began because of stay-at-home orders.
In the US, Nassau County in New York, which is the epicenter of the pandemic in the country, saw a 10 percent rise in domestic violence cases compared to the same time last year.
Jolie said that, right now, children would be "deprived of the very support networks that help them cope: from their trusted friends and teachers to after-school sports activities and visits to a beloved relative’s house that provide an escape from their abusive environment."
To millions of children, she stressed, schools were a "lifeline of opportunity as well as a shield, offering protection from violence, exploitation and other difficult circumstances, including sexual exploitation, forced marriage and child labor and domestic violence."
She also highlighted how, in most child abuse cases, Child Protective Services were called by third parties such as teachers, guidance counselors, after school program coordinators, and coaches, none of whom would have eyes on the children they usually supervise currently.
The Oscar-winning actress went on to state that there were signs of hope in California, where the new Surgeon General Dr Nadine Burke Harris had noted how domestic violence and other Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) were "a root cause to some of the most harmful, persistent and expensive health challenges facing our nation."
She suggested that, despite being physically separated from loved ones, one could make it a point to call family and friends, especially in cases where there are concerns someone is vulnerable.
"We can educate ourselves to the signs of stress and domestic violence and know what to look out for and how seriously to take it. We can support our local domestic violence shelters," she added.
Jolie also recommended a series of guides produced by The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and The Child Helpline Network, which can direct parents or anyone with concerns to a number to call for advice and information.
"It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child. It will take an effort by the whole of our country to give children the protection and care they deserve," she concluded.