The role of exposure in domestic abuse victimization: evidence from the COVID‐19 lockdown

Abstract Preventing a COVID‐19 health crisis had unintended consequences on domestic abuse victimization. Using event methodology and individual‐level call data, we examine domestic abuse patterns during the first nationwide COVID‐19 lockdown in Greater London, and find that the lockdown changed both the nature of reporting and the type of relationship within which the abuse occurs. Abuse by current partners and family members increased on average by 8.5% and 16.4%, respectively, during the COVID‐19 lockdown, while abuse by ex‐partners declined by 9.4%. We address possible changes in domestic abuse reporting using information on the caller type and the timing of abuse. We show that the increase in domestic abuse calls is driven by third party reporting, which is 32% higher in high density areas where neighbours can overhear abuse, while no comparable changes occur in victim reporting. These findings highlight the importance of environmental factors, such as exposure, in affecting domestic abuse victimization across different types of relationships.