Increased Abuse Statistics during the Pandemic

by Daisy Morales

When we think of the Covid-19 pandemic, we think of lost lives, lost jobs, and a lost feeling of “normality.” However, the Covid-19 pandemic has also exacerbated Domestic Abuse — which often includes Psychological, Financial, Sexual, and Narcissistic Abuse — that people faced even before there was a near-national shutdown.

Lockdowns across the country meant that the abused were stuck at home with their abusers, possibly with no safe way to contact friends or help. We at ARO want to share these statistics on abuse in 2020, which can help us contextualize abuse during an unprecedented time.

Between March 10–24, 2020, during which many states had implemented stay-at-home orders, the National Domestic Violence Hotline received 951 calls in which the caller mentioned the Covid-19 pandemic. [1]

The National Commission on Covid-19 and Criminal Justice found through a review of police call logs, domestic violence crime reports, emergency hotline registries, and health records, that domestic violence incidents increased by 8.1% in the US after the lockdown order. [2]

Domestic Abuse during the pandemic has increased across the globe. According to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, domestic violence reports tripled during February 2020 in Hubei, China. The UN Women (a United Nations entity) report shows a 25% increase in domestic violence in France after their national lockdown, a 30% increase in Cyprus, and a 33% increase in Singapore. [3]

Although national domestic violence reports increased during the lockdown, some regional organizations saw a drop in calls reporting abuse. The Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) saw a 54% decline in calls after March 16, 2020. [4] PLA believes this decline is not due to fewer people needing help but more people feeling unsafe about seeking help.

Although abuse has certainly been rampant, it is also important to remember that resources abound. Abuse Refuge Org offers a wide variety of information on their website, Zoom calls, videos, and support groups. We hope to expand our services, but we can’t do so without your support. Click here to donate to Abuse Refuge Org, and help us provide future critical services to abuse survivors.

Sources
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/03/coronavirus-quarantine-abuse-domestic-violence
[2] https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/domestic-violence-covid-19-increase-us-ncccj-study/?template=next
[3] https://www.ajemjournal.com/article/S0735-6757(20)30307-7/fulltext
[4] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/03/coronavirus-quarantine-abuse-domestic-violence