COVID-19 and Domestic Violence in Peru

Introduction: During the pandemic, domestic violence increased rapidly due to measures to contain COVID-19, such as mandatory social isolation. Objective: To examine reported cases of domestic violence on the Line 100 during the pandemic. Specifically, to compare domestic violence cases between 2019 and 2021, as well as according to the age and gender of the affected individuals. Methods: Data sources from Line 100, a free telephone service provided by the Peruvian government for reporting cases of violence, were used. Reports from 2019 to 2021 were collected. Additionally, sociodemographic variables such as the gender and age of the affected individuals were included. Visualizations of the number of reported cases by year, age, and gender of the affected individuals were conducted. Results: A total of 197,752 reports of domestic violence between 2019 and 2021 were included. The results indicate that in 2020, cases of psychological violence were more prevalent among women aged 26 to 39 and 40 to 64, while children aged 0 to 12 experienced higher rates of physical violence. Specifically, during the mandatory social isolation period, reports increased rapidly. Conclusions: These findings warn that psychological violence prevails in emergency health situations, and women and children are at-risk populations. In this regard, this study emphasizes the importance of implementing public health policies against domestic violence, considering the precautionary principle.