Thread by @nytimes

Mounting evidence suggests that domestic abuse is becoming more frequent and more severe as a world in pandemic locks down.

As hotlines struggle with a surge of calls, governments are trying to address a crisis experts say they should have seen coming.
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There was every reason to believe that movement restrictions imposed to keep the coronavirus from spreading would exacerbate abuse, experts said. nyti.ms/3b0mTwo

But governments largely failed to prepare for the way new public health measures would create opportunities for abusers to terrorize their victims.

Now they're scrambling. And as with the response to the virus itself, delays mean that irreparable harm may have already occurred.

In Spain, calls to the domestic violence emergency number went up in the first 2 weeks of lockdown.

In France, police reported a roughly 30% nationwide spike in domestic violence.

In China, one NGO said the call surge began when officials locked down cities in the epicenter.

Judith Lewis Herman, a renowned trauma expert at Harvard, found the methods abusers use to control their partners and children bear "an uncanny resemblance" to those kidnappers use to control hostages and repressive regimes use to break the will of political prisoners.

In Europe, several countries followed the same grim path:

First, governments impose lockdowns without enough planning for abuse victims.

Days later, distress calls spike, setting off public outcry.

Only then do officials improvise solutions, like turning hotels into shelters.

Eventually, lockdowns will end. But as the confinement drags on, the danger is likely to intensify. Studies show abusers are more likely to murder their partners and others in the wake of personal crises, including lost jobs.

Read more from @amandataub: nyti.ms/3b0mTwo