Domestic violence during lockdown: A comparative study among reproductive age group tribal women in a sub-Himalayan district of India

Background The government of India ordered nationwide lockdown from March 25, 2020. There have been reports of domestic violence cases increasing generally. However, in the submerged portion of the iceberg, there are many victims who remain stuck with the wrongdoer and are unable to report. Objective The objective is to compare domestic violence among two independent groups of tribal women before and during the lockdown period in a sub-Himalayan district of India. Methodology Community-based analytical study with cross-sectional design (December 2019 and July 2020) was conducted among tribal women aged 15–49 years residing in the rural areas under four community development blocks of Siliguri, Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India. Two groups of 60 women were selected before lockdown and during lockdown. The interview was conducted using the pretested predesigned schedule and the Indian family violence and control scale. Results The median score for violence through controlling behavior was equal (44.0 [interquartile range (IQR): 6.0]) in both groups. The median score for psychological violence (32.0 [IQR: 9.8]) and median score for physical violence (25.5 [IQR: 10.8]) was significantly higher in during the lockdown group. The median score for sexual violence was higher in during lockdown group (13.5 [IQR: 14.0]). The median score for violence in any form was significantly higher during lockdown (117.5 [IQR: 24.3]). Conclusion The present study depicted that the tribal women experienced comparatively higher domestic violence during the lockdown period.