CoronaCrime #21

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has taken a terrible toll in lives, illness, and economic devastation and it is having diverse effects on violence and crime. Therefore, the Daily Prevention News publishes weekly a Corona Crime Issue dedicated to collect related relevant news and information.

1. Position Paper: The role of social economy in supporting Roma social and economic inclusion in a Covid-19 context
   Europe and the world are facing an unprecedented social and economic shock, brought about by the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many Europeans have lost their incomes, their homes, their security, and even their loved ones. In this context, Roma communities throughout the continent have been particularly hard hit, having to face, in addition to the above, a sharp rise in both popular and institutional antigypsyism, as well as police brutality and numerous breaches of their human rights. Source: ERGO Network
2. COVID-19 pandemic constricts methamphetamine supply in Perth
   This study examines the methamphetamine market and prevalence of methamphetamine use in Perth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program indicate that 38 percent (n=55) of Perth police detainees interviewed between April and June 2020 reported recent methamphetamine use—a significantly lower rate than in January–February 2020. Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
3. A new future for health
   In this new UNDP story about the state of the SDGs today, we highlight the challenges and opportunities that the pandemic presents for the achievement of the Global Goals and the Agenda 2030. Source: UNDP
4. Domestic violence during COVID-19: are we asking the right questions?
   The number of domestic violence cases reported to the South African police between March and April dropped by 69.4%. This figure makes it tempting to believe that in South Africa, unlike many other countries, lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic reduced family and domestic violence. However, police statistics, call numbers to hotlines and counts of women accessing services during lockdown tell us little about the number of women and families actually experiencing violence at the hands of men. Source: Safer Spaces South Africa
5. Sheltering in Place and Domestic Violence
   Researchers use data on calls for service to the police from 14 large American cities to compare domestic violence calls before and after the pandemic began in the United States, relative to trends during the same period in 2019. The pandemic led to a 7.5% increase in calls for service during March, April, and May. The biggest increase came during the first five weeks after widespread social distancing began, when domestic violence calls were up 9.7%. State-mandated stay-at-home orders and school closures came later, suggesting the increase was not only a response to shelter-in-place policies. The increase came across a broad range of demographic and socioeconomic groups, and includes households without a recent history of domestic violence calls. Source: Council on Criminal Justice
6. COVID-19 and The Rise of Intimate Partner Violence in Peru
   Stay-at-home policies have been implemented worldwide to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, there is a growing concern that such policies could increase violence against women. We find evidence in support of this critical concern. We focus on Peru, a country that imposed a strict nationwide lockdown starting in mid-March and where nearly 60% of women already experienced violence before COVID-19. Using administrative data on phone calls to the helpline for domestic violence (Línea 100), we find that the incidence rate of the calls increased by 48 percent between April and July 2020, with effects increasing over time. Source: World Development
7. Interim Commission Report: Recommendations for Response and Future Readiness
   The National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice was launched in July 2020 by the Council on Criminal Justice. Its mission is to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the justice system, develop strategies to limit outbreaks, and produce a priority agenda of systemic policy changes to better balance public health and public safety.In its first set of recommendations, the Commission calls on leaders in law enforcement, the courts, and corrections to expand their efforts to reduce harm caused by the coronavirus and improve the justice system’s preparedness for future public health emergencies. Source: Council on Criminal Justice
8. Community action for people with HIV and sex workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in India
   Sex workers have been one of the marginalized groups that have been particularly affected by India’s stringent lockdown in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The sudden loss of livelihood and lack of access to health care and social protection intensified the vulnerabilities of sex workers, especially those living with HIV. In response, Ashodaya Samithi, an organization of more than 6000 sex workers, launched an innovative programme of assistance in four districts in Karnataka. Source: WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health
9. Protecting sex workers in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic: opportunities to build back better
   The Government of Thailand was prompt to launch social and economic measures to mitigate the effects on the general population following lockdown measures to counter coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, sex workers were one of the vulnerable groups who were unable to access state support. A rapid survey of sex workers in Thailand showed that almost all had become unemployed and lost their income as a consequence of the lockdown, restrictions on international flights into the country and the closure of entertainment venues. Source: WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health

Please find more information and news about the interlinkages between the Coronavirus, Crime and Violence in German published every Tuesday on our German News Service Tägliche Präventions News.