COVID-19: Alarming rise in domestic abuse

The figure, revealed by the Metropolitan Police, represents an increase of 24% during the lockdown. Domestic abuse charities have reported a rise in calls to their helpline of about a third during the same time.

Anna-Laura Lock, Senior Associate at Winckworth Sherwood, said: ‘Individuals living in an already precarious environment may find themselves living in a pressure cooker when restrictions on movement, school closures, worries about health concerns and financial insecurity are all added into the mix.’

Lock highlighted how other countries have responded to similar increase in domestic abuse during lockdown―France has made hotel rooms available for victims and set up help centres in supermarkets; Spain has provided a safe word for victims to use at pharmacies; and both Greenland and South Africa have introduced bans on the sale of alcohol.

The UK government has confirmed that victims can leave home despite the lockdown. However, many refuges have had to close due to funding cuts while others do not have enough room and have to turn people away.

Lock said: ‘In the current lockdown, when a victim’s movements may already be under the scrutiny of or limited by their abuser, the ability to seek help or make such a move is logistically harder and may require considerable planning.

‘There are calls for England and Wales to follow the lead of other countries to adopt more creative emergency measures, including making hotel rooms available as refuges and/or making it easier for an abuser to be required to leave the family home. This would be a welcome measure. The current law allows for urgent applications to be made to protect victims of abuse and children from harm.’

Law Society president Simon Davis has also highlighted the increased risk for domestic abuse victims. Earlier this month he urged the government to ‘provide alternatives for those who are locked in with their abuser’.

He called for non-means tested legal aid to be made available for domestic abuse cases to help those who do not qualify for legal aid and cannot afford a solicitor to navigate an ‘even more complex’ than usual telephone hearing. This would give victims ‘the legal support and access to justice they so desperately need,’ he said.

‘The government should also relax the domestic abuse gateway regulations during the COVID-19 outbreak so that solicitors can certify an individual is a domestic abuse victim and allow them access to legal aid. Many victims rely on evidence from a doctor which is obviously difficult to get in current circumstances.’