Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Resource Utilization During COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociology

Background:

• Social distancing and stay-at-home mandates were implemented to prevent COVID-19 spread.
• These measures, alongside other pandemic-related stressors, may increase intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual assault, and child maltreatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on incidences of IPV, sexual assault, and child maltreatment.
• To compare healthcare utilization and community resource referrals for these issues before and after the implementation of mandates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of county police dispatches, emergency department (ED) visits, and healthcare consults (SANE, DVHP, Child Protection Team).
• Analysis of ICD-10 codes for IPV, sexual assault, and child maltreatment from March-October 2020 vs. 2019.
• Comparison of ED visits and consult percentages to total ED volume; recorded calls/referrals to child advocacy and resource lines.

Main Results:

• Police dispatches for IPV assaults increased by 266 reports (P=0.015). ED visits for IPV rose from 0.11% to 0.15% (P=0.032), and DVHP consults increased significantly (P<0.001).
• Child maltreatment ED visits increased from 0.47% to 0.81% (P=0.028), with higher Child Protection Team consult rates (P=0.004).
• Sexual assault visits and SANE consults showed non-significant increases. Calls/referrals to child advocacy centers and resource lines decreased substantially.

Conclusions:

• Stay-at-home orders were associated with increased police reports, ED visits, and hospital consults for IPV and child maltreatment, despite lower overall ED volumes.
• Healthcare systems observed a rise in domestic violence and child maltreatment cases during the pandemic.
• Community-based resources experienced a decline in engagement, highlighting a potential gap in support services.