Police Confirm Rise in Domestic Abuse during Lockdown in UK

THERE has been a rise in domestic abuse incidents during the coronavirus outbreak, a police leader has said. 

Baroness Beverley Hughes, Greater Manchester’s deputy mayor for policing and crime, said authorities were preparing for serious incidents after the government announced a lockdown.

Baroness Hughes said: “I think we are beginning to see a rise in domestic abuse incidents.

“We anticipated this might happen in the very stressful circumstances for many families.”

Baroness Hughes noted that many families who were being asked to remain at home had significantly less income, or none at all, after tougher measures were put in place.

She said: “The potential for tension to arise in the home as a result of what we are asking people to cope with, in order to suppress the virus, is going to increase and therefore we would be right to think this might display itself in an increase in the number of domestic incidents we are called to.

“We are preparing for that.

“Some of those most serious incidents will be challenging to deal with, particularly if the victim needs to be moved to a refuge, but the police specialise in these kind of cases and the local partners, local authorities, they’re working together really closely to prepare for that.”