Studying Changes in Intimate Partner Violence in Latin America: A Brief Report from a Panel Survey During COVID-19

Abstract Purpose Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem in Latin America. However, understanding the scope and dynamics of IPV has been limited by reliance on administrative or cross-sectional data. This limitation became especially problematic during the COVID-19 pandemic, when mobility restrictions likely affected help-seeking and reporting. Drawing on a new panel database, this brief report examines changes in IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile and describes features of the data and challenges associated with collection under emergency conditions. Methods From 2021 to 2022, we collected the second wave of a national survey focused on violence against women. The final sample includes over 3,000 women. We describe the sample and assess changes in IPV over time, including transitions across forms of violence and reporting to authorities. Results While victimization is correlated across waves, we observe substantial heterogeneity in IPV dynamics, with many women transitioning out of violent relationships or moving between different forms of violence. Notably, a majority of women reporting IPV in 2022 had not reported IPV in 2020, suggesting onset during the period. We also find a marked decline in formal reporting. Conclusions Despite relatively stable aggregate trends, IPV during the pandemic in Chile showed significant heterogeneity in individual-level transitions and a sharp decline in formal reporting. These findings illustrate how aggregate patterns can mask shifts in women’s experiences over time and underscore the value of representative longitudinal survey data for capturing dynamics in victimization and reporting that administrative records and repeated cross-sections may miss.