Is Domestic Violence Rising During the Coronavirus Shutdown? Here’s What the Data Shows.
Reports of domestic abuse in three cities have dropped. But police and experts say that may be a problem.
Pleas for help to domestic violence hotlines are conducted more often in whispers lately in Arizona, because victims have few private moments to make calls, said Tasha Menaker, who heads a statewide coalition of domestic violence organizations. In Austin, Texas, a victims counselor for the police department said because people suffering abuse are having a harder time finding space to reach out for help, more calls are coming from neighbors or other witnesses.
It’s always hard to measure the scope of domestic violence—and it’s particularly hard during a pandemic when families are essentially confined to homes, where a victim can’t easily escape an abuser. News outlets across the country have written about advocates’ concerns that crime.
