“The corona epidemic spread fear among people as they had no solutions but to stay at their homes and abandon their lifestyle outside home. The epidemic also created a state of confusion in institutions, which affected all levels, especially the psychological and social level, which thus prompted institutions and individuals to communicate through social media platforms. Despite the platforms efficiency, they still lack the psychological implication that negatively affects the quality of communication between all components of one society” with these words, the psychological counselor and director of Nafs For Empowerment Foundation – Nasser Abu Matar -, opened the seventh episode of the radio program ” Nonviolence as a Lifestyle” implemented by Pal-Think For Strategic Studies and FXB France within the project “Promoting The Culture of Nonviolence”.

Abu Matar called on citizens to listen to news from the official authorities, their websites and their own pages on the internet in order to prevent the spread of rumors and incorrect news that causes panic and fear among members of society, adding that other websites on social media platforms are full of videos that spread bullying and promote violence against many fragile groups not to raise awareness nor to educate them.

He pointed out that statistics carried out in Jordan demonstrated that the percentage of problems decreased by a rate of 15% -20%, and this indicates one of the positive aspects of quarantine. He indicated that the presence of parents at home develops new lifestyles based on communication, dialogue, negotiation and listening to one another.

As for the level of committing crimes and violence in societies, Abu Matar mentioned that it decreased because the movement of people is restricted during the times of corona. This restriction created an environment that helps to reduce the percentage of crimes. In addition to that, people’s interest in areas such as shadow economy, drugs and currencies in equivalence for the acquisition of the of self-preservation and survival from the coronavirus.

The psychological counselor said that this period is the most important for the civil society institutions and the implementation of their activities because people most need those who help them and provide them with advice while at home, referring to that activities should vary to suit children, elderly, women, people with disabilities and youth.

He stressed that those who lost their jobs due to the current crisis have to keep faith that the situation will return normal, indicating that citizens have to abide by the WHO instructions and the preventive measures set by the responsible health institutions in Palestine, stating that traders do not have to exploit the crisis for monopolization..