Domestic violence reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Latin America

Abstract

This article examines changes in the frequency and characteristics of domestic violence reports following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposition of mobility restrictions in six Latin American countries. We find significantly different patterns between reports of psychological and physical violence, non-cohabitant and cohabitant violence, and across alternative reporting channels (domestic violence hotlines, emergency lines, and police reports). Calls to domestic violence hotlines soared, suggesting that this channel was best suited to respond to victims’ needs during the pandemic. In turn, calls to emergency lines and police complaints declined (especially in the first weeks of the pandemic), consistent with an increase in the perceived (relative) cost of using these channels. The results reveal how the pandemic altered domestic violence victims’ demand for institutional help and highlight the relevance of domestic violence hotlines as an accessible and valuable service.

Trends in concussion mechanism of injury during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…U.S. DV incidents were reported to have risen by 8% following stay-at-home orders in 2020; this may be due to factors such as increased unemployment, childcare-related stress, and financial insecurity [ 11 ]. The New York City Police Department reported a similar 10% increase in DV incidents from March 2019 to March 2020 [ 15 ], although police complaints may not accurately capture DV rates during COVID-19 [ 12 ]. In our dataset, the number of domestic violence-related concussions increased from one incident in 2019 to five incidents in 2020.…”

“…During the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians and providers observed changes in the mechanisms of injury (MOI) for patients and visit volumes. Many studies have examined changes in behavior due to lockdown procedures and their impact on public health secondary to the spread of COVID-19 throughout the world [ 5 , [7] , [8] , [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] , [13] ]. In the first half of 2020, there was an overall decline in physical activity in children, especially for those who lived in apartments and urban areas [ 7 ].…”

Behind closed doors: Exploring the impact of COVID-19 related lockdown on domestic violence in Peru

“…There are many studies which point to different patterns in the reporting of domestic violence in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region ( De Souza Santos et al, 2022 ; Ortega Pacheco & Martínez Rudas, 2021 ). However, one study reported an increase in the reporting of this social problem in countries such as Argentina (+62%), Colombia (+98%) and Peru (+39%) with the onset of lockdown ( Perez-Vincent & Carreras, 2022 ). Due to the increase in reported cases of domestic violence, governmental institutions in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Chile created online and telephone strategies to report domestic violence and reduce its impact ( Lima, 2020 ; Perez-Vincent & Carreras, 2022 ).…”

A Prospective Cohort Study of Presenteeism and Increased Risk of Divorce Among Japanese Workers

“…These changes may have resulted in significant modifications in family and marital relationships, with some reports suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on satisfaction with family relationships 5 . There are also reports of increased family violence 6,7 . Negative effects on family relationships have also been reported because of the telecommuting being conducted in many countries 2,8 …”

“…5 There are also reports of increased family violence. 6,7 Negative effects on family relationships have also been reported because of the telecommuting being conducted in many countries. 2,8 Significant external stress events such as disasters have different effects on family relationships depending on the nature of the event, such as the severity of the impact on life and health, the duration of the impact, and the geographic extent of the impact.…”