Domestic abuse reports increased in first week of lockdown
Reports of domestic abuse rose to their highest point in March in the days after the coronavirus lockdown was enforced, new figures have showed.
A total of 844 reports of domestic violence were made to West Midlands Police in the week commencing March 23, the day Boris Johnson addressed the nation to announced the lockdown.
It represented a slight rise from the previous week when there were 827 report, but an increase of more than 100 since March 2 when 739 calls were made to police.
The total dipped in the second week of the lockdown to 791 but was still higher than the start of March. A total of 3,698 reports were made during March.
The figures, released by West Midlands Police following a Freedom of Information request by the Express & Star, come after it was 400 domestic abuse suspects were arrested in the first two weeks of the lockdown.
Campaigners have raised fears that domestic abuse cases could rocket while couples are stuck under the same roof, as support services available have been more widely publicised.
Figures for domestic abuse reports were only available to the end of March.
Superintendent Sally Simpson from the force's Public Protection Unit, said it was possible reports would increase the longer those at risk are kept in lockdown.
She said: “Tackling domestic abuse is always a priority for us – and our officers are out in communities right now looking to arrest suspects and protect vulnerable people.
“We have not seen much change in our domestic abuse reporting but we recognise that might change.
"The public are trying to adjust to remaining indoors for long periods but not everybody has a relationship free of abuse.
"Not every home, unfortunately, is a safe place."
