Intimate Partner Violence During COVID-19 Restrictions: A Study of 30 Countries From the I-SHARE Consortium.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) causes substantial physical and psychological trauma. Restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including lockdowns and movement restrictions, may exacerbate IPV risk and reduce access to IPV support services. This cross-sectional study examines IPV during COVID-19 restrictions in 30 countries from the International Sexual HeAlth and REproductive Health (I-SHARE) study conducted from July 20th, 2020, to February, 15th, 2021. IPV was a primary outcome measure adapted from a World Health Organization multicountry survey. Mixed-effects modeling was used to determine IPV correlates among participants stratified by cohabitation status. The sample included 23,067 participants from 30 countries. A total of 1,070/15,336 (7.0%) participants stated that they experienced IPV during COVID-19 restrictions. A total of 1,486/15,336 (9.2%) participants stated that they had experienced either physical or sexual partner violence before the restrictions, which then decreased to 1,070 (7.0%) after the restrictions. In general, identifying as a sexual minority and experiencing greater economic vulnerability were associated with higher odds of experiencing IPV during COVID-19 restrictions, which were accentuated among participants who were living with their partners. Greater stringency of COVID-19 restrictions and living in urban or semi-urban areas were associated with lower odds of experiencing IPV in some settings. The I-SHARE data suggest a substantial burden of IPV during COVID-19 restrictions. However, the restrictions were correlated with reduced IPV in some settings. There is a need for investing in specific support systems for survivors of IPV during the implementation of restrictions designed to contain infectious disease outbreaks.

The International Sexual Health And REproductive Health during COVID-19 (I-SHARE) Study: A Multicountry Analysis of Adults from 30 Countries Prior to and During the Initial Coronavirus Disease 2019 Wave.

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence to date about changes to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) during the initial wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To address this gap, our team organized a multicountry, cross-sectional online survey as part of a global consortium. METHODS: Consortium research teams conducted online surveys in 30 countries. Sampling methods included convenience, online panels, and population-representative. Primary outcomes included sexual behaviors, partner violence, and SRH service use, and we compared 3 months prior to and during policy measures to mitigate COVID-19. We conducted meta-analyses for primary outcomes and graded the certainty of the evidence. RESULTS: Among 4546 respondents with casual partners, condom use stayed the same for 3374 (74.4%), and 640 (14.1%) reported a decline. Fewer respondents reported physical or sexual partner violence during COVID-19 measures (1063 of 15 144, 7.0%) compared to before COVID-19 measures (1469 of 15 887, 9.3%). COVID-19 measures impeded access to condoms (933 of 10 790, 8.7%), contraceptives (610 of 8175, 7.5%), and human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection (HIV/STI) testing (750 of 1965, 30.7%). Pooled estimates from meta-analysis indicate that during COVID-19 measures, 32.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.9%-42.1%) of people needing HIV/STI testing had hindered access, 4.4% (95% CI, 3.4%-5.4%) experienced partner violence, and 5.8% (95% CI, 5.4%-8.2%) decreased casual partner condom use (moderate certainty of evidence for each outcome). Meta-analysis findings were robust in sensitivity analyses that examined country income level, sample size, and sampling strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Open science methods are feasible to organize research studies as part of emergency responses. The initial COVID-19 wave impacted SRH behaviors and access to services across diverse global settings.

The Global Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Individuals' and Couples' Sexuality.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its related restrictions significantly impacted individuals' health, wellbeing, and security. Isolation, limitation of movement, social distancing, and forced cohabiting have had a strong influence on all areas of people's lives as well as on their sexuality. Investigating how the COVID-19 outbreak and its consequences impacted people's sexuality was the primary aim of this review. Particularly, we focused on: (1) the variables associated with the improvement or the deterioration of individuals' and couples' lives during the pandemic; (2) the use of sex as a coping strategy; (3) the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on LGBT people. Results have shown that the worsening of sexual life seems to be related to couples' conflict, emotions and psychological difficulties, being female, being single or away from the partner, being a health care worker, and having children. Moreover, a detrimental effect on sexuality was associated with stress, forced cohabitation, routine, anxiety and worry about the job and the pandemic, feeling partner distance, being unhappy with their partner, and lack of privacy. On the other hand, improvements in sexuality were associated with living happily with a partner, being happy and satisfied with a partner, feeling less stressed and more bored, having more free time, having fewer recreation opportunities, and having minor workload. During the pandemic, there was an increase in using sex toys, pornography consumption, masturbating, and trying sexual experimentations. Among LGBT people, an increase was found in the number of casual sexual partners potentially due to the perceived lower likelihood of transmission through sex. Moreover, the increase in sexual activity may have represented a coping strategy to quarantine-related distress.

Sexuality during the COVID-19 pandemic: the importance of Internet

Coronavirus is an infectious disease that has affected many countries, changing daily life. For many individuals, sexual activity has decreased, physical contact within couples has been reduced. Obviously, to maintain a safe sex life, it is essential to know how to avoid the virus transmission. Distance creates irritability, fear, anxiety, endangering sexual life: it is reasonable to have sex between cohabiting partners unless one or both are at risk of infection. Despite this, the pandemic allows us to think of new sexual intimacies mediated by sextoys and technology. Not all distant couples are willing to have sex online, and it is difficult for singles to engage in casual sexual relations, so after the pandemic there will be many couples who will have to remodel and many singles who will seek a partner. Using the internet to maintain active sexual activity appeared to be an excellent alternative to diminish the distance between partners or to increase online knowledge. The most common advice for separated couples was to maintain constant digital contact to alleviate nostalgia and lack. This was the springboard to use sexting, meeting via webcam or making a hot call that make the couple more uninhibited. Using the webcam, also sometimes with the possibility to use sex toys, could create also the opportunity to enrich the future sexual repertoire. Practicing online sex with the stable partner far from home has helped some to keep their desire active and to satisfy it in order to be able to realize it once the pandemic has ended. The purpose of this narrative review of available evidence on sexuality during COVID-19 pandemics is to provide recommendations to help people facing their sexual life in this critical period. Résumé Le coronavirus est une maladie infectieuse qui a affecté de nombreux pays. Pour les couples, les contacts physiques ont diminué et la vie sexuelle en a été altérée. Une sexualité sans risque implique de savoir comment éviter la transmission du virus. La distance physique crée de l'irritabilité, de la peur,  et menace la vie sexuelle: il est raisonnable pour un couple vivant sous le même toit d'avoir des relations sexuelles sauf si l'un d'entre eux présentent un risque d'infection. Tous les couples confinés séparément n'ont pas nécessairement envie d'avoir des relations sexuelles en ligne et pour les personnes qui ne sont pas en couple, il est difficile de s'engager dans des relations sexuelles récréatives. En dépit de cela, la pandémie  permet d’envisager une nouvelle intimité sexuelle utilisant des sex toys et de la technologie. L'utilisation d'internet pour maintenir une activité sexuelle active semble avoir été une excellente alternative pour pallier la distance physique entre les partenaires. Le conseil le plus couramment donné aux membres de couples confinés seuls était de maintenir un contact électronique constant pour atténuer la nostalgie et compenser le manque d'activité sexuelle. Ceci entraîna l’essor des sextos, des rencontres par webcam ou des appels téléphoniques érotiques contribuant à la désinhibition des couples. L'utilisation de la webcam, associée à l’utilisation de sex toys, permet également d’enrichir le répertoire sexuel. La pratique du sexe en ligne avec le partenaire stable ne vivant pas sous le même toit a aidé certaines personnes à maintenir leur désir et à le satisfaire et préserver celui-ci intact en vue de la fin de la pandémie. L'objectif de ce travail est de passer en revue les données disponibles sur la sexualité pendant les pandémies COVID-19 et de fournir des recommandations pour aider la population à vivre et préserver sa sexualité dans cette période critique.

La sexualité pendant la pandémie COVID-19 - de l'importance d'Internet

Résumé Le coronavirus est une maladie infectieuse qui a affecté de nombreux pays. Pour les couples, les contacts physiques ont diminué et la vie sexuelle en a été altérée. Une sexualité sans risque implique de savoir comment éviter la transmission du virus. La distance physique crée de l'irritabilité, de la peur, et menace la vie sexuelle: il est raisonnable pour un couple vivant sous le même toit d'avoir des relations sexuelles sauf si l'un d'entre eux présentent un risque d'infection. Tous les couples confinés séparément n'ont pas nécessairement envie d'avoir des relations sexuelles en ligne et pour les personnes qui ne sont pas en couple, il est difficile de s'engager dans des relations sexuelles récréatives. En dépit de cela, la pandémie permet d’envisager une nouvelle intimité sexuelle utilisant des sex toys et de la technologie.L'utilisation d'internet pour maintenir une activité sexuelle active semble avoir été une excellente alternative pour pallier la distance physique entre les partenaires. Le conseil le plus couramment donné aux membres de couples confinés seuls était de maintenir un contact électronique constant pour atténuer la nostalgie et compenser le manque d'activité sexuelle. Ceci entraîna l’essor des sextos, des rencontres par webcam ou des appels téléphoniques érotiques contribuant à la désinhibition des couples. L'utilisation de la webcam, associée à l’utilisation de sex toys, permet également d’enrichir le répertoire sexuel. La pratique du sexe en ligne avec le partenaire stable ne vivant pas sous le même toit a aidé certaines personnes à maintenir leur désir et à le satisfaire et préserver celui-ci intact en vue de la fin de la pandémie. L'objectif de ce travail est de passer en revue les données disponibles sur la sexualité pendant les pandémies COVID-19 et de fournir des recommandations pour aider la population à vivre et préserver sa sexualité dans cette période critique. Coronavirus is an infectious disease that has affected many countries, changing daily life. For many individuals, sexual activity has decreased, physical contact within couples has been reduced. Obviously, to maintain a safe sex life, it is essential to know how to avoid the virus transmission. Distance creates irritability, fear, anxiety, endangering sexual life: it is reasonable to have sex between cohabiting partners unless one or both are at risk of infection. Despite this, the pandemic allows us to think of new sexual intimacies mediated by sextoys and technology. Not all distant couples are willing to have sex online, and it is difficult for singles to engage in casual sexual relations, so after the pandemic there will be many couples who will have to remodel and many singles who will seek a partner.Using the internet to maintain active sexual activity appeared to be an excellent alternative to diminish the distance between partners or to increase online knowledge. The most common advice for separated couples was to maintain constant digital contact to alleviate nostalgia and lack. This was the springboard to use sexting, meeting via webcam or making a hot call that make the couple more uninhibited. Using the webcam, also sometimes with the possibility to use sex toys, could create also the opportunity to enrich the future sexual repertoire. Practicing online sex with the stable partner far from home has helped some to keep their desire active and to satisfy it in order to be able to realize it once the pandemic has ended. The purpose of this narrative review of available evidence on sexuality during COVID-19 pandemics is to provide recommendations to help people facing their sexual life in this critical period.