South Africans, in general, are not known for their patience or we wouldn’t have one of the highest rates of Gender Based Violence GBV in the world. By all reports, it appears that the lockdown has brought out the worst in some of us. There were 87,000 complaints of GBV reported in South Africa in the first eight days of lockdown.
Most South Africans would not go so far as to assault our partners. But, being locked up together in these uncertain times when anxiety and uncertainty are constant companions is bound to put a strain on most relationships.
Stuck in your home with your partner, upon whom you rely almost completely for social support, can create problems in even the strongest relationships. Life has changed, you may be working from home while seeing to it that your children continue their schooling. Changes like this inevitably result in stress and tension. There are a few ways that you can mitigate the problem.