Domestic violence in NSW in the wake of COVID-19: Update to December
2020
Release Date: 10:30am Thursday 3 June
2021
Link to report summary:-
New
research confirms that reported domestic violence assaults largely remained stable
in NSW in 2020. This is despite various
mobility restrictions imposed on the community in response to the COVID
pandemic.
A
new report by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) examines
trends in domestic violence in the year 2020, and how this relates to the NSW
response to COVID-19. The study builds on previous work considering data up to
April 2020. The new study extends the time series to December 2020; applies a
more rigorous methodology and expands the data considered to include trends in
non-criminal domestic episodes recorded by the NSW Police Force.
BOCSAR found no compelling evidence of
an increase in domestic violence assaults reported to NSW Police coinciding
with the introduction of strict social isolation requirements, or as
restrictions eased up to December 2020. Once pre-existing trends and seasonally were
accounted for, the number of monthly incidents of domestic assaults was largely
within expectations. There is also no evidence of a delay in the reporting of
domestic assault incidents to police during the period that stay-at-home orders
were in place.
There is evidence, however, to support
an increase in non-criminal domestic arguments and disturbances attended by
police from the time restrictions were introduced in late March through to
mid-July. Most of these incidents are classified as verbal argument. Numbers returned to usual from mid-July
onwards.
Commenting
on the findings, the Executive Director of BOCSAR, Jackie Fitzgerald said that
despite there being no clear evidence of an overall increase in domestic
violence related assaults associated with the COVID restriction, the prevalence
of domestic violence within the community remains high and has lasting effects
on victims and their families. “The increase in police attendance to domestic arguments and disturbances following the
introduction social isolation restrictions reflects the additional pressures
placed on families during this period.
This is a concern given the strong association between emotional abuse
and physical violence.”
Further enquiries:
Jackie Fitzgerald, Executive Director, BOCSAR
0423 139 687
Email: bcsr@justice.nsw.gov.au
Copies
of the report: www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au