Angelina Jolie doesn’t want us to forget about the dangers children are facing during the coronavirus pandemic — and she isn’t talking about the virus itself.
In an op-ed for Time, the Maleficent 2 star warns readers about the effects of quarantine life that pose a threat to children, writing that while kids aren’t as vulnerable to the virus, they are “especially vulnerable to so many of the secondary impacts of the pandemic on society.” Namely, abuse.
The Oscar winner explains that the mass stay-at-home orders have required children across the globe to self-isolate with their parents or guardians — which is a bad situation for young ones who have a potentially abusive caretaker.
Related: Angelina Reveals Daughters’ Recent Surgeries
She writes:
“Isolating a victim from family and friends is a well-known tactic of control by abusers, meaning that the social distancing that is necessary to stop COVID-19 is one that will inadvertently fuel a direct rise in trauma and suffering for vulnerable children. There are already reports of a surge in domestic violence around the world, including violent killings.”
Unfortunately, she’s right: domestic violence incidents have spiked globally, stemming from conflicts as little as hidden toilet paper.
Jolie goes on to state how children under quarantine have also been cut off from support networks like “their friends, their regular schooling, and their freedom of movement,” adding:
“It comes at a time when children are 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.”
The 44-year-old explains that, for many kids, schools serve as “a lifeline of opportunity as well as a shield offering protection — or at least a temporary reprieve — from violence, exploitation and other difficult circumstances, including sexual exploitation, forced marriage and child labor and domestic violence,” noting:
“It’s not just that children have lost support networks. Lockdown also means fewer adult eyes on their situation.”
So how can we flatten abuse while trying to flatten the curve? The mother-of-six suggests that people “make a point of calling family or friends, particularly where we might have concerns that someone is vulnerable.”
Jolie also encourages readers to educate themselves on the signs of abuse, reading guides provided by The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, and reaching out to The Child Helpline Network for advice and help as needed. She shares:
“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.”
Well said!
The fact that the actress has abuse on the brain isn’t too surprising, seeing as she accused her ex-husband Brad Pitt of child abuse during their bitter divorce battle. That whole fiasco didn’t work out the way Angie had hoped, but we truly hope people heed her words in this case. Too many children are at risk!
Stay safe, outside AND inside, Perezcious readers!
[Image via WENN]
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