Dataset Information

Sheltering in place and domestic violence: Evidence from calls for service during COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an economic slowdown as more people practice social distancing and shelter at home. The increase in family isolation, unemployment, and economic stress has the potential to increase domestic violence. We document the pandemic's impact on police calls for service for domestic violence. The pandemic increased domestic violence calls by 7.5% during March through May of 2020, with effects concentrated during the first five weeks after social distancing began. The increase in reported domestic violence incidents began before official stay-at-home orders were mandated. It is not driven by any particular demographic group but does appear to be driven by households without a previous history of domestic violence.

SUBMITTER: Leslie E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7377795 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Sheltering in place and domestic violence: Evidence from calls for service during COVID-19.

Leslie Emily E Wilson Riley R

Journal of public economics 20200723

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an economic slowdown as more people practice social distancing and shelter at home. The increase in family isolation, unemployment, and economic stress has the potential to increase domestic violence. We document the pandemic's impact on police calls for service for domestic violence. The pandemic increased domestic violence calls by 7.5% during March through May of 2020, with effects concentrated during the first five weeks after social distancing began. The inc ...[more]

PMID: 32834179

Similar Datasets

Project description:ImportanceDomestic violence (DV) has become a growing public health concern during the COVID-19 pandemic because individuals may be sheltering in place with abusers and facing mounting economic and health-related stresses.ObjectiveTo analyze associations of the 2020 COVID-19 stay-at-home (SH) order with DV police reporting and resource availability, including differences by community area racial/ethnic composition.Design, setting, and participantsThis longitudinal cohort study assessed DV police reports (January-June 2020) obtained from the Chicago, Illinois, Police Department and DV resource availability (March and August 2020) obtained from the NowPow community resource database, both for 77 community areas in Chicago. Data were analyzed July through December 2020.ExposuresThe COVID-19 SH order effective March 21, 2020.Main outcomes and measuresMonthly rates of DV police reports and DV resource availability per 100 000 persons.ResultsOf 77 community areas in Chicago, 28 (36.4%) were majority Black, 19 (24.7%) majority Hispanic/Latinx, 18 (23.4%) majority White, and 12 (15.6%) a different or no majority race/ethnicity, representing an estimated population of 2 718 555 individuals. For each community area, the SH order was associated with a decrease in the rate of DV police reports by 21.8 (95% CI, -30.48 to -13.07) crimes per 100 000 persons per month relative to the same months in 2019. Compared with White majority community areas, Black majority areas had a decrease in the rate of DV police reports by 40.8 (95% CI, -62.93 to -18.75) crimes per 100 000 persons per month relative to the same months in 2019. The SH order was also associated with a decrease in DV resource availability at a rate of 5.1 (95% CI, -7.55 to -2.67) resources per 100 000 persons, with the largest decreases for mental health (-4.3 [95% CI, -5.97 to -2.66] resources per 100 000 persons) and personal safety (-2.4 [95% CI, -4.40 to -0.41] resources per 100 000 persons). The Black majority south side of Chicago had a larger decrease in resource availability (-6.7 [95% CI, -12.92 to -0.46] resources per 100 000 persons) than the White majority north side.Conclusions and relevanceIn this longitudinal cohort study, the rate of DV police reports decreased after the SH order was implemented in Chicago. This decrease was largely observed in Black majority communities, whereas there was no significant change in White majority communities. These findings may reflect decreased DV incidence but may also reflect an exacerbation of underreporting. In addition, DV resource availability decreased disproportionately on the predominantly Black south side of Chicago.

Dataset Information

Sheltering in place and domestic violence: Evidence from calls for service during COVID-19.

Publications

Sheltering in place and domestic violence: Evidence from calls for service during COVID-19.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets