Domestic Violence During COVID-19 Lockdowns

Using a quantitative retrospective survey design, this study examined the relationship between COVID-19 lockdowns and domestic violence or intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence from March 2020 to June 2020. Ninety-six participants who experienced such violence completed an online survey including measures from the Life Events Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). The sample was predominantly female (69.8%) with mean age 44.76 years. Results showed 86.5% experienced stay-at-home orders. Physical assault was most frequently reported prior to lockdowns (58.3%), followed by during lockdowns (44.8%), and after lockdowns (28.1%). Similar patterns emerged for sexual assault and weaponrelated violence. Hierarchical regression found COVID-19 lockdown status significantly predicted higher IPV scores (�������� = 2.35, p = .007), accounting for 7.6% of variance. However, when controlling for cumulative trauma exposure, lockdown effect became nonsignificant (p = .120), while trauma exposure remained a strong predictor (β = 0.14, p < .001). The full model explained 27.8% of IPV variance. Qualitative findings revealed participants felt 'trapped' with limited safe spaces, experienced intensified violence, and faced help-seeking barriers. Only 43.5% reported abuse to police. Results suggest that while COVID-19 lockdowns created conditions facilitating abuse, preexisting trauma histories were more predictive of victimization than were pandemic conditions alone. Findings emphasize the need for trauma-informed crisis response planning that protects vulnerable populations during public health emergencies while addressing underlying risk factors.