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covid-19 leading to less sex, more gender-based violence: ubc researcher

"the myth that needs debunking is that, because people are home, everyone's having sex," said ubc researcher dr. lori brotto.

by vancouver sun

jul 17 2020
read time 2 minute read
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covid-19 leads to less sex, more gender-based violence: ubc researcher
dr. lori brotto. sherri koop / png
the covid-19 baby boom is a myth, according to the vancouver-based researcher leading a national study into sexual health and domestic abuse during the pandemic.
lori brotto, a professor in obstetrics and gynecology at ubc’s faculty of medicine, says the pandemic is leading to less sex among couples in canada, and more gender-based violence.
these are the initial findings of the study launched in april at brotto’s ubc lab, which recruited roughly 900 canadians for phase 1 of the research — an online questionnaire on sexual behaviour, motivations, coercion and satisfaction during covid-19. respondents are asked, as well, about their levels of anxiety and depression.
“the myth that needs debunking is that because people are home, everyone’s having sex,” brotto said. “but the reality is that stress levels were extremely high among people and stress is really a major deterrent to sexuality.”
increased stress is far likelier to trigger abuse, a well-known phenomenon that cuts across all demographics and cultures, say sex researchers.
compounding the issue are public health measures that require people to spend much more time at home, which for some means more time with an abusive or violent partner.
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brotto, a leading expert in women’s sexual health, was skeptical of the baby boom narrative from the beginning.
“that certainly was not at all what i was hearing among my patients, and not consistent at all with past research from past pandemics,” she said.
canadian researchers observed an increase in abuse during the h1n1 flu outbreak a decade ago, brotto said. chinese researchers observed a similar rise during the country’s covid-19 outbreak and quarantine period this spring. rates of domestic violence were three times higher than those pre-pandemic, according to data released in april.
brotto’s lab began collecting information on housebound canadians in response to the research in china, hoping to address the speculation on increased intimacy in lockdown.
in phase 2 of the study, which began in mid-may, researchers followed up with respondents every month to collect additional information on how circumstances change as social distancing guidelines were relaxed.
“it is so important that people reach out and ask for help, because help is definitely there,” brotto said, “and people should not be suffering in silence.”
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