Concurrent Violence Against Vulnerable Populations During Covid in Louisville, Kentucky

• In Event: Examining Vulnerable Populations in Domestic Violence Research

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic presented a unique set of challenges for crime prevention and response, especially with the increased amount of time people spent with their families in the privacy of the home. The heightened stresses of this period are reflected in the number of calls for service. Research suggests violence hidden within the home is not limited to a single type, but includes many types of violence perpetrated simultaneously, often against more than a single victim. This paper seeks to determine whether concurrent violence in the household increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. To explore this, service call data involving vulnerable populations (children, elders, animals, and domestic partners) in Louisville, Kentucky from 2020 through 2021 was analyzed and compared to the previous two year period. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.

Author

• Alexis Miller, University of Louisville