Intimate partner violence spiked over the course of the pandemic. Across the country big cities saw at least a 10% increase in domestic violence reports, and calls to domestic abuse hotlines increased as much as 5x! Why did this happen?

The two main theories as to why domestic violence incidents increased during the pandemic are that there were increased stressors and increased opportunities. Increased stressors included concerns about job security with unemployment rising and more people experiencing financial worry. Increased opportunity arose with people living in cramped conditions amid lockdown, and victims found themself isolated with their abusers. 

With all of these, victims also had less access to mandated reporters such as teachers or doctors, so abuse could have extended longer during the pandemic than it would have pre-lockdown.

There is no excuse for domestic violence, and it is important to reach out if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse. Many cities have local shelters or organizations you can reach out to to find the help you need to leave or help a friend leave a dangerous domestic situation.

If you don’t know where your closest shelter is, you can look online on the national domestic violence hotline’s website or by looking through a local service provider directory. If you or a loved one is experiencing abuse, don’t wait, discover more here and get the help you need today.