As many people retreat home to avoid risking further spread of COVID-19, jokes abound. The quarantine is testing the strength of the love and tolerance you feel for those who live in your household: your significant other – how the hell did you not notice, after all this time, their annoying humming habit. You jokingly announce that you have contemplated murder in hopes the infuriating habit would cease.
Your children – you knew they were exhausting and distracting prior to quarantine, but at least school and extracurricular sports gave you a break and helped burn some of their endless energy. Bless teachers, coaches, and tutors for making child rearing possible, because sometimes you hide for fifteen minutes in the laundry room, pantry, or bathroom just for some peace and quiet.
And if you live with roommates – you feel a similar level of frustration just minus the warm and fuzzy forgiveness and understanding unconditional love provides.
Being quarantined with those you love is challenging the patience, sanity, and forgiveness of nearly everyone. Jokes and playful threats help relieve the frustration, annoyance, and irritability that is a side effect of quarantine.
All jokes aside, playful threats for some is a harsh reality for others. While tensions rise in every household across America during this time, there is a portion of the population that are quarantined with their abuser. Perhaps it is your friend from work, your next door neighbor, that old friend from school, your sibling or cousin, your parent … perhaps it is you. And the cycle of abuse that has plagued a relationship is only intensified with close quarters and constant contact.
Check in on your friend from work, your next door neighbor, that old friend from school, your family. Check in on yourself.
If you, or someone you know, is quarantined with an abuser, don’t let the risk of COVID-19 stop you from reaching out for help. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is still open to respond via phone call or chat. The Manely Firm, P.C. remains open to take your calls, provide legal advice, and make practical plans.
Jokes aside, abuse is ugly and when you are imprisoned with your abuser it could hardly get any uglier. Get help for your friend. Get help for yourself. You might not be able to be liberated from quarantine, but you can be liberated from your abuser.
Jess Lill