Are women safe during a pandemic?

When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, several countries imposed lockdown measures; India was one of them too. Soon the pictures of migrants going back to their homes circulated which showed how the poor and the marginalized have to suffer during unfortunate times. But what about the women? Did the pandemic not have an impact on their mental and physical health too?

We could see reports and articles circulating later in the year 2020 that encircled around the 'working women' or the women in urban cities being burdened with the increase in household activities with minimum or no extra help or having to struggle to balance between their professional and personal lives. Men were seen making an attempt to help women out by lending a hand in household activities. But what about the women living in the rural communities? The ones who have to manage their households in absence of their husbands or any other male member (most men have been found to be migrants and move away from their homes for a minimum of 6 months)? When the male members returned back home, the 'power' that women held as the 'decision maker' of the household was ripped away from her and she was left with the title of 'caretaker' and 'homemaker' only. 

Their daily activities saw a surge in household activities with getting up even earlier than usual to prepare food for all the family members, wash the utensils, clothes along with other household chores. The time spent on looking after children and elderly had also increased as schools and other public places were closed; the time spent on farm (if available) has also increased since farming was now the primary source of occupation (for most). This left women with minimum or no leisure hours as well as decrease in their sleeping hours. This effect on the women's daily time schedule is like a shadow hidden within the other effects of COVID-19. But is it only the schedule of a woman that is disturbed? 

According to the National Commission of Women (India) in 2020, there was a decrease in the number of complaints regarding harassment but a significant rise in terms of domestic violence complaints. The reason given was-the number of harassment complaints is less as lockdown has been imposed and women are not moving out much now but they are in their homes. This has led to an increase in the number of domestic violence. Again women in rural communities were seen to be most affected by this; a woman was thrown in a well in Bihar as she could not arrange the amount of money, her in-laws were asking in return for keeping her at their home in times of COVID-19. What was the fault of this woman? 

We may never know exactly why someone who is 'poor' or 'marginalized' or 'powerless' or a 'woman' belonging to any caste or community has to suffer. But we should note that 'women' is also a heterogeneous group! And it is the unfortunate times like that of COVID-19 that has brought out the fact that we often forget about the women who struggle daily and the intensity of their struggle increases when they are further pushed 'in the shadows'.