Yale University

We were all wearing masks. Even before COVID-19—before the world took its last unobstructed breath—we walked school halls with veils over our mouths, shushed into silence and obedience. What were we hiding? When our masks became literal ones, I started to explore the epidemic that has plagued my sisters for centuries: violence inflicted upon teenage women. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, domestic and teen dating violence cases have skyrocketed. This made sense (increased time at home and stress being major contributing factors) but left me with more questions. How could a system that is so…