With the introduction of COVID-19, preliminary data suggests that the forms and frequency of abuse relating to intimate partner violence (IPV) have changed. Most of society was unaware of the arising silent pandemic which was happening to the individuals in abusive relationships who were being quarantined with their abuser. The IPV resources were extremely aware of this silent pandemic due to large numbers of individuals seeking emergency shelter. However, there was only a priority for public safety due to COVID-19 when in hindsight, there needed to be a balance of public safety as well as increased aid for the individuals suffering in their own homes. In this study, I collected qualitative and quantitative data surrounding the frequency and mode of intimate partner violence throughout the duration of the quarantine and lockdowns from COVID-19. An online survey was distributed to 418 respondents living in the United States who were in the same intimate partner relationship across all three timeframes (pre-COVID-19 lockdowns, during COVID-19 lockdowns and after COVID-19 lockdowns). Respondents answered questions regarding demographics, abuse that occurred along with their perceived intensity and severity of the abuse and their resource usage. Findings revealed that verbal and sexual abuse increased during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the perceived intensity and severity of the abuse trended upward during the lockdowns, and resource usage decreased across all three timeframes. This study contributed a deeper understanding and provoked discussion of the abuse that took place during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

This report was the result of a study conducted in Stockholm County in Sweden. This study aimed to gain further understanding of how social workers working with domestic violence issues perceived how the COVID-19 pandemic affected women who are victims of domestic violence in Sweden. Three social workers working with victims of domestic violence were interviewed using semi structured questions. The sample consisted of two respondents from social services and one respondent from a women'sshelter. Their clients are women from the age of 18 and above with different cultural backgrounds. The results generated from the interview were analysed using feminist theory and earlier research conducted on domestic violence. Though domestic violence against women has been a social problem before the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings revealed the different factors that led to more cases of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic such as economic dependency on the perpetrator, depression,alcohol abuse, and social isolation due to the partial lockdown. These factors cause the women (victims) to be more vulnerable to the crime perpetrated by their partners, and due to partial lockdown and the stay-at-home order by the government to combat the spread of COVID-19 virus in Sweden, the social workers believed that the women (the victims) were stuck with their perpetrators and unable to come out to seek the help needed and this made their situation more vulnerable resulting to long life effects like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD), suicidal thoughts and even death.

Syfte: Syftet med studien är att kartlägga om och hur modeföretag har anpassat sin försörjningskedja under Covid-19. Studien kommer främst att fokusera på om det har skett geografiska förändringar i sin sourcingstrategi, samt hur företagens inköpsvolymer har förändrats under pandemin. Design/ metod: De två forskningsfrågorna besvarades genom fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med flera personer på svenska modeföretags inköpsavdelningar och med hjälp av en tematisk analys. Originalitet/värde: Studien bidrar till ökad kunskap inom ämnet hur svenska modeföretag har anpassat sina värdekedjor under Covid-19 pandemin. Eftersom att Covid-19 pandemin skedde nyligen finns det begränsat med forskning inom ämnet. Studien ger även en inblick i hur olika svenska modeföretag har arbetat under denna tidsperiod för att hantera de risker som uppstod i värdekedjan. Resultat och slutsats: Efter att en analys hade sammanställts så kom det fram att det fanns skillnader i hur de mellanstora och stora företagen i studien hade agerat kring sourcing och inköpsvolymer under Covid-19 pandemin. De medelstora företagen hade redan större delen av sin sourcing i Europa medans de större modeföretagen hade större delar av sin sourcing i Asien. Alla intervjupersoner beskriver att de upplevde mer eller mindre fördröjningar i sina leveranser där det var värst för de som hade stor produktion i Asien. För att minska riskerna gällande inköpsvolymer så var flexibilitet en viktig faktor för att flytta volymer mellan sina sourcingplatser och producera närmare sina marknader. Det kom även fram att de medelstora företagen ville satsa på större lager i framtiden medans de stora företagen ville minska sina lager för att inte överproducera. I framtiden ser samtliga intervjupersoner att det kommer bli större konkurrens kring produktion i Europa då fler företag vill producera närmare sina marknader. / Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine how textile companies have adapted their supply chain during Covid-19. The study will mainly focus on outlining geographical changes in its sourcing strategy, as well as how companies' product range volumes have changed during the pandemic. Design/Methodology: The two research questions were answered through five semi-structured interviews with several people in Swedish fashion companies purchasing departments and with the help of thematic analysis. Results and Findings: After an analysis had been compiled, it emerged that there were differences in how the medium-sized and large companies in this study had acted regarding sourcing and purchasing volumes during the Covid-19 pandemic. The medium-sized companies already had most of their sourcing in Europe, while the larger fashion companies had larger parts of their sourcing in Asia. All interviewees described that they experienced more or less delays in their deliveries, where it was more critical for those who had larger production in Asia. To reduce the risks regarding purchasing volumes, flexibility was an important factor in moving volumes between their sourcing sites and producing closer to their markets. It was also revealed that the medium-sized companies wanted to invest in larger stock levels in the future, while the large companies wanted to reduce their stock levels in order not to overproduce. In the future, all interviewees see that there will be greater competition for production in Europe as more companies want to produce closer to their markets. Originality/Value: The study contributes to increased knowledge in the subject of how Swedish fashion companies have adapted their value chains during the Covid-19 pandemic. Because the Covid-19 pandemic occurred recently, there is limited research on the subject. The study also provides an insight into how different Swedish fashion companies have managed the risks that arose in the value chain during this time period.