This study analyzes the effect of sheltering in place in response to COVID-19 on domestic violence incidents in the US using novel daily mobile device tracking data, the timing of shelter-in-place orders, and dispatch and crime data from twenty-eight police departments in eighteen US states. Findings show that reports of domestic violence rise after local shelter-in-place orders are enacted and that domestic violence increases with measures of sheltering in place, as indicated by mobile device tracking data. This result is consistent with an exposure reduction theory of domestic violence and, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores the importance of providing potential victims of violence with spaces that are safe from abusers and risk of infection. When applied to the entire US, it is estimated that sheltering in place increased domestic violence by approximately 6 percent, or more than 24,000 cases, from March 16 to April 30, 2020.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Having to confine at home with an abuser can increase violence.

• Mobile device tracking data was used to measure the percentage of people who stayed at home all day.

• US police reports of domestic violence rose with shelter-in-place orders and fell when efforts relaxed.

• The real effect may be larger due to pandemic-related reporting issues.

• Economic and behavioral interventions for potential victims will not fully counteract the effects of exposure.

这项研究使用新颖的每日移动设备跟踪数据，临时收容所的时间安排以及来自28个警察的调度和犯罪数据，分析了针对COVID-19的临时收容所对美国家庭暴力事件的影响美国18个州的政府部门。调查结果显示，颁布本地就地庇护令后，家庭暴力的报道有所增加，并且如采用移动设备跟踪数据所示，家庭暴力随着庇护措施的到位而增加。该结果与减少家庭暴力的暴露理论相一致，并且在COVID-19大流行的背景下，强调了为潜在的暴力受害者提供安全的空间，使其免受滥用者和感染风险的影响的重要性。当应用于整个美国时，

强调

• 必须在家中与虐待者一起生活，这可能会增加暴力行为。

• 使用移动设备跟踪数据来衡量整天呆在家里的人所占的百分比。

• 美国警方关于家庭暴力的报道随着就地庇护令而增加，而在努力放松后有所下降。

• 由于与大流行有关的报告问题，实际影响可能更大。

• 对潜在受害者的经济和行为干预将无法完全抵消暴露的影响。