Exacerbation of Physical Intimate Partner Violence during COVID-19 Pandemic

Date of Review: March, 2021

Gosangi B, Park H, Thomas R, Gujrathi R, Bay C, Raja A, Seltzer S, Chadwick Balcom M, McDonald M, Orgill D, Harris M, Boland G, Rexrode K, Khurana B. Exacerbation of Physical Intimate Partner Violence during COVID-19 Pandemic. Radiology 2021; 298:E38–E45 https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.2020202866

This resource discusses how radiologists encountered more severe IPV injuries during the height of the pandemic. This study compares data from the height of the pandemic (March-May of 2020) and 2017-2019. The study shows that in 2017- 2019 there were more IPV injuries reported, but in 2020 the injuries that were reported were more severe. They believe that IPV victims did not report minor injuries because many physicians were not seeing patients in their office during this time, and the ER was overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. Injuries tended to be more severe during this time because victims were quarantined with their abuser, and stresses caused by the pandemic in turn increased drinking and drug use during this time. — Clare Petrie