Exacerbation of Physical Intimate Partner Violence during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global social and public health problem, but published literature regarding the exacerbation of physical IPV during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is lacking. Purpose To assess the incidence, patterns, and severity of injuries in IPV victims during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared with the prior 3 years. Materials and Methods The demographics, clinical presentation, injuries, and radiologic findings of patients reporting physical abuse arising from IPV during the statewide COVID-19 pandemic between March 11 and May 3, 2020, were compared with data from the same period for the past 3 years. Pearson χ² and Fisher exact tests were used for analysis. Results A total of 26 victims of physical IPV from 2020 (mean age, 37 years ± 13 [standard deviation]; 25 women) were evaluated and compared with 42 victims of physical IPV (mean age, 41 years ± 15; 40 women) from 2017 to 2019. Although the overall number of patients who reported IPV decreased during the pandemic, the incidence of physical IPV was 1.8 times greater (95% CI: 1.1, 3.0; P = .01). The total number of deep injuries was 28 during 2020 versus 16 from 2017 to 2019; the number of deep injuries per victim was 1.1 during 2020 compared with 0.4 from 2017 to 2019 (P < .001). The incidence of high-risk abuse defined by mechanism was two times greater in 2020 (95% CI: 1.2, 4.7; P = .01). Patients who experienced IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to be White; 17 (65%) victims in 2020 were White compared with 11 (26%) in the prior years (P = .007). Conclusion There was a higher incidence and severity of physical intimate partner violence (IPV) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic compared with the prior 3 years. These results suggest that victims of IPV delayed reaching out to health care services until the late stages of the abuse cycle during the COVID-19 pandemic. © RSNA, 2020.

Figure 1.

Flowchart of the COVID-19 pandemic victims and control groups.

Figure 2.

Graph illustrates year-wise comparison of total intimate partner violence (IPV), physical intimate partner violence (IPV), severe and mild grades of physical intimate partner violence (IPV).

Figure 3.

Graph illustrates organ wise injuries for victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) based on the year.

Figure 4.

Images in a 27-year-old female victim was stabbed in the right mid abdomen by her boyfriend. (a) Axial abdomen CT scan demonstrates an AAST (American Association for the Surgery of Trauma) grade 2 liver laceration (arrowhead) with a small perihepatic hematoma (asterisk), and subcutaneous emphysema (arrow) at the site of stab injury. (b) Additional axial CT abdomen image demonstrated irregular hypoattenuation in the inferior aspect of left kidney, representing an AAST grade 2 laceration. The patient underwent surgical repair of liver laceration and cholecystectomy. The renal injury was managed conservatively.

Figure 5.

Images in a 38- year-old female victim struck in the face and chest by her boyfriend. The patient sustained multiple right sided rib fractures. (a) Axial post contrast chest CT demonstrates a comminuted right fourth rib fracture (arrow), extensive swelling of right breast (arrowheads) and anterior chest wall muscle (asterisk), suggesting contusion and intramuscular hematoma. (b) Ground-glass opacity in the right lung peripherally suggestive of lung contusion (arrow). (c) Additional chest CT image through apices on lung window demonstrates trace right apical pneumothorax (arrow). (d) Bilateral rib fractures (arrowheads).

Figure 6.

Images in a 35-year-old female victim was strangulated and hit on the face multiple times by her boyfriend. (a) Coronal reconstructed non-contrast face CT demonstrates acute comminuted inferiorly displaced fracture of the left inferomedial orbital wall (arrow), with herniation of fat and inferior rectus muscle into the left maxillary sinus. Asymmetric subcutaneous swelling is noted on the left. (b) Axial face CT image demonstrates a minimally displaced left nasal bone fracture (arrow). The patient underwent surgical repair of the left orbital wall.