Study: Domestic Violence Increased During Shutdown

A new study sheds some light on a disturbing trend in Dallas County two weeks after the stay at home orders were announced.

The study led by a UT-Dallas researcher found a 12.5% increase in domestic violence incidents in the first two weeks of the shelter-at-home orders. Alex Piquero is one of the study’s authors and a UT-Dallas criminology professor and says there are two reasons for the increase. One is that all the places that we usually go to relieve stress were suddenly taken away and financial worries. He says that will lead to a temper, and often that tempter can turn into violent acts. Also, after the increase was a decrease, which researchers believe came because usually confined victims were with their attackers.