The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Shelter Use Frequency and Experiences of Shelter Professionals in Finland: A Mixed-Method Study

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with an increased prevalence of domestic violence (DV). It has been proposed that the mitigation efforts-such as lockdown, social distancing, or stay-at-home orders- simultaneously increase the risk of DV while limiting the possibilities for seeking help. In this study, we explored the effects of the pandemic on shelter services. Method: The data consist of shelter use data and regular reports from 29 shelters in Finland. In a mixed -method study, we analyzed how shelter service use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland was predicted by the stringency of government actions. Furthermore, to gain additional depth on the topic, we carried out a qualitative analysis of the common issues raised by the staff in regular shelter reports. Results: We found the stringency of government actions-as measured by the comparative composite value of the Stringency Index-to causally predict shelter use during the pandemic. The major finding of our qualitative analysis is that the pandemic has affected shelters at three levels: victim, professional, and organization. Conclusion: As shelter reports indicate, the pandemic affected clients depending on how they perceive the pandemic, receive help, and the changes in their everyday lives at the shelter. At the professional level, COVID-19 affected the practices and content of work with clients, as well as the personal experience and well-being of staff. At the organizational level, there was a need to reconsider the preparedness and organization of work.