Domestic Violence Alleged in California Child Maltreatment Reports During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Reporting of Child Maltreatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Southern State in the United States

OBJECTIVES

COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders (SAHOs) created an immediate physical barrier between children and professionals such as pediatricians and teachers, who are often first to identify and report signs of child maltreatment. Our objective was to determine how the SAHO in a southern state was associated with reports of child maltreatment and whether this association was modified by sociodemographic characteristics.

METHODS

We linked data on reports of child maltreatment from a southern state in the United States from October 1, 2018, through September 30, 2020, to data from the US Census Bureau to obtain data on county-level socioeconomic characteristics. We fit a segmented regression model to evaluate changes in reports before and after the SAHO, March 20, 2020. We evaluated potential disparities by child age, case and allegation severity, and socioeconomic characteristics.

RESULTS

Of 374 885 hotline calls, 276 878 (73.9%) were made before the SAHO and 98 007 (26.1%) after it. Although an immediate decrease in reports of child maltreatment occurred on the day of the SAHO, the rates of reporting within socioeconomic groups started increasing thereafter. While we found no significant change in the overall rate of change in hotline calls after versus before the SAHO (0.23; 95% CI, -0.11 to 0.58), stratified analyses indicate that the rates at which reporting increased varied by education level, health insurance coverage, median annual household income, and unemployment.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluating these trends is important for policy makers and practitioners to understand how policies enforced during the pandemic influence child maltreatment reporting and how these policies may affect reporting differently across socioeconomic groups.

Emerging Trends in Intimate Partner Rape and Marital/Spousal Rape During the Biennium 2020 and 2021, Including the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

Intimate partner or marital/spousal rape is a phenomenon with unique characteristics and dynamics. Furthermore, it is an under-explored, under-defined, under-reported, and widely tolerated phenomenon. Gender-based violence and intimate partner violence are the main topics of the present study. The study aimed at exploring the trends in reported intimate partner and marital/spousal rape, within the wider context of reported domestic violence during the years 2020 and 2021 in Greece. Statistical analysis has not indicated positive correlation between the rate of reported domestic violence per year and the rate of reported domestic rape per year, with the former following an upward trend and the latter maintaining an almost steady course. Similarly, the rate of reported victims of intimate partner rape per year remained almost stable within in the 2 years. Importantly however, in 2021, the rate of reported victims of marital rape per year increased remarkably compared to 2020. In 2021, the rates of reported domestic violence per month and reported domestic rape per month indicated remarkable increase over the period May to December 2021. Notwithstanding, the rates mentioned above remained almost stable over the year 2020, showing an upward trend during the summer months. In August 2020 and 2021 the abovementioned rates reached their peak. In both years, the vast majority of victims of domestic rape were females, mostly between 30 and 45 years of age. The present study indicated an increase in rates of reported domestic violence and reported domestic rape per month after the lockdowns, especially after the second long-lasting lockdown that ended in May 2021. This increase, however, might be only apparent. Further research is needed to study the epidemiology of intimate partner and marital rape over a much longer timespan to provide further insight into the dynamics surrounding a public health concern.

COVID-19 and Caregiver Risk Factors for Child Maltreatment: The Pandemic in Review

The COVID-19 pandemic has fostered an environment for increased risk of child maltreatment (CM) as families experience increased psychosocial and financial burdens and spend unprecedented amounts of time together in the home. This narrative review aimed to summarize empirical findings on existing or new pandemic-related risk factors among caregivers. A combination of search terms related to CM and COVID-19 were used to identify articles published within five databases between February 2020 and July 2022. Literature searches produced 113 articles, of which 26 published across 12 countries met inclusion criteria. Four previously well-established risk factors for CM perpetration continued to persist during the pandemic, including stress, parental mental health, financial concerns, and parental substance use. Of note, inconsistent definitions and measures were used to capture these risk factors. Several additional emerging and understudied risk factors were also identified among limited articles, such as food insecurity and parental education. Findings emphasize the ongoing need for evidence-based interventions to address CM risk during the pandemic, including parent training programs. However, consolidated measures and consistent conceptualization of risk factors are needed to advance the study of CM. Going forward, practitioners and researchers should (a) strengthen the identification process for families at greatest risk for CM, and particularly those vulnerable to pandemic-related stressors; and (b) augment delivery of CM prevention strategies and evidence-based programs to fit the pandemic context.

Characterizing Intimate Partner Violence in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant global health concern. Numerous research studies document increases in IPV since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Despite this widespread recognition, research around the nature of this violence is still growing. This systematic review summarizes the existing literature documenting the prevalence and characteristics of IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inclusion criteria are as follows: reported original data empirical study, assessed for IPV among adult population in the United States, and was published in English between December 2019 and March 2022. A total of 53 articles were then independently reviewed and sorted into four thematic subcategories: victimization, perpetration, articles addressing victimization and perpetration, and provider perspectives. Studies document consistent increases in the prevalence of IPV victimization and perpetration. Providers within agencies providing support to individuals impacted by IPV also documented increased strain on the agencies.

An analysis of temporal dimensions in maltreatment reporting and child protection responses

BACKGROUND

The health services literature indicates that the day and time of a medical encounter is often significant factor in patient outcomes, yet little is known about the role of temporal dimensions in child maltreatment reporting or substantiation.

OBJECTIVE

We examined time-specific dynamics of screened-in reports of alleged maltreatment from different reporter sources, including their relationship to the likelihood of substantiation.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

We used a population-based dataset of administrative records for 119,758 child protection investigations involving 193,300 unique children in Los Angeles County, California, between 2016 and 2017.

METHODS

For each report, we coded three categorical temporal dimensions of the maltreatment report: season, day of the week, and time of day. We descriptively examined how temporal characteristics varied by reporting source. Finally, we ran generalized linear models to estimate the likelihood of substantiation.

RESULTS

We observed variability overall and by reporter type for all three measures of time. Reports were less likely during summer months (22.2 %), during the weekend (13.6 %), and after midnight (10.4 %). Counts of reports from law enforcement were more common after midnight and contributed to a greater proportion of substantiations over the weekend than other reporter types. Weekend and morning reports were nearly 10 % more likely than weekday and afternoon to be substantiated, respectively. Reporter type was the most prominent factor for substantiation regardless of temporal dimensions.

CONCLUSIONS

Screened-in reports varied by season and other classifications of time, but temporal dimensions exhibited only a modest influence on the likelihood of substantiation.

A Balancing Act: How Professionals in the Foster Care System Balance the Harm of Intimate Partner Violence as Compared to the Harm of Child Removal

The striking prevalence of child exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and its associated adverse health outcomes necessitates a robust response from professionals who must grapple with the ethical dilemma of how to serve and support children in these circumstances. In 2020, 42 participants from four different professional backgrounds (attorneys, nonprofit leadership, licensed therapists, and social workers) were interviewed or participated in a focus group discussion. All groups acknowledged the shortfalls of current intervention practices, which often result in child removal. Group 1, which included social workers that work for children's legal services, minor's counsel, and Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services social workers, were more conflicted in their recommendations for change. Some Group 1 participants recommended more training, while others thought more training would make little difference and recommended more substantial changes to prevent child removal when possible. Group 2, which included parents' counsel, and Group 3, which included social workers, attorneys, and nonprofit leadership at IPV nonprofits, were more closely aligned in their recommendations, primarily focusing on systemic changes to the child welfare system. Participants whose employment required them to advocate for parents tend to view child removal from a non-offending parent as harmful for both the child and IPV survivor. These findings illuminate how the perspectives of these diverse participants are influenced by their professional and personal experiences.

Unintended Consequences of COVID-19 on Pediatric Falls from Windows: A Multicenter Study

Introduction

In attempts to quell the spread of COVID-19, shelter-in-place orders were employed in most states. Increased time at home, in combination with parents potentially balancing childcare and work-from-home duties, may have had unintended consequences on pediatric falls from windows. We aimed to investigate rates of falls from windows among children during the first 6 mo of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Patients <18 y old admitted to three pediatric trauma centers (two - level 1, one - level 2) between 3/19/20 and 9/19/20 (COVID-era) were compared to a pre-COVID cohort (3/19/19 to 9/19/19). The primary outcome was the rate of falls from windows. Secondary outcomes included injury severity score (ISS), injuries sustained, and mortality.

Results

Of 1011 total COVID-era pediatric trauma patients, 36 (3.6%) sustained falls from windows compared to 23 of 1108 (2.1%) pre-COVID era patients (OR 1.7, P = 0.05). The median ISS was seven pre-COVID versus four COVID-era (P = 0.43). The most common injuries sustained were skull fractures (30.5%), extremity injuries (30.5%), and intracranial hemorrhage (23.7%). One-fifth of patients underwent surgery (21.7% pre-COVID versus 19.4% COVID-era, P = 1.0). There was one mortality in the COVID-era cohort and none in the pre-COVID cohort (P = 1.0).

Conclusions

Despite overall fewer trauma admissions during the first 6 mo of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of falls from windows nearly doubled compared to the prior year, with substantial associated morbidity. These findings suggest a potential unintended consequence of shelter-in-place orders and support increased education on home safety and increased support for parents potentially juggling multiple responsibilities in the home.