Intimate Partner Violence against Women during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Criminology

Background:

• Intimate partner violence against women (IPV) is a significant public health issue.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns created unprecedented challenges for service provision and help-seeking behaviors.
• Understanding the temporal and geographical distribution of IPV indicators is crucial for effective policy development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the temporal and geographical distribution of IPV indicators in Spain before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdown (March-June 2020).
• To investigate changes in help-seeking behaviors and service access barriers for IPV-affected women.
• To explore the relationship between IPV indicators, socioeconomic factors like unemployment, and geographical clustering.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive ecological study utilizing data from 2015-2020 on 016-calls, policy reports, IPV fatalities, and protection orders (PO) across Spain.
• Quarterly rates for each indicator were calculated, with a focus on the lockdown period.
• Cluster analysis of 016-call and PO rates by province was performed, alongside ANOVAs to examine relationships with unemployment and IPV prevalence.

Main Results:

• The second quarter of 2020 saw the highest 016-call rate, while policy reports, POs, and fatalities decreased.
• In the third quarter of 2020, 016-calls declined, but policy reports and POs increased.
• Four distinct clusters of provinces were identified, with significant differences in unemployment rates observed between them.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 lockdown significantly altered IPV-affected women's help-seeking behaviors, indicating barriers to accessing services during remote working periods.
• Discrepancies between 016-call volumes and policy reports suggest challenges in formal reporting and service accessibility.
• A concerning correlation was found between provinces exhibiting high 016-call and PO rates and those with elevated unemployment, particularly relevant during the current socioeconomic crisis.