What happened to New Jersey’s domestic violence rates during the pandemic?

When New Jersey rapidly locked down this past March at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses shuttered, schools and government offices closed, and people were told to stay home. These emergency measures were intended to keep us safe from the virus. For victims of domestic violence, however, lockdown orders unfortunately created a very different set of dangers and risks. As victims were forced to isolate with their abusers against a backdrop of health concerns, job loss, excessive alcohol consumption, a documented increase in firearms purchases, and great uncertainty about where and how to obtain help, ideal conditions were set for abuse to fester and spread.

A NY Times article from early April reported that domestic violence rates around the globe were already rising sharply due to lockdown measures. Did an increase in domestic violence rates happen here in New Jersey? This was a guiding question I set out to answer in a new investigative article for the New Jersey Law Journal, “Domestic Violence in NJ During The Pandemic: What Happened and How Can We Do Better?”

Coauthored with Dan Pollack, Esq, MSSA, a professor of social work at Yeshiva University, the article investigates arrest and restraining order data and other resources to create an accurate picture of domestic violence rates in New Jersey over the past several months.

Here were some of our key discoveries:

Statewide, domestic violence calls to police dropped right after lockdown began — and that was not a good thing.

New Jersey State Police Superintendent, Colonel Patrick Callahan, reported in the spring that all crimes except murder by shooting were down across the state since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak. Arrests had dropped by 65 percent and shootings by 19 percent. Callahan also reported that domestic violence calls were down.

The noticeable drop in domestic violence calls to police was a prime sign that unreported domestic violence was rising. It’s speculated that victims may have lacked privacy to call for help and/or did not know how to access help due to court closures, or had difficulty leaving home or understanding whether shelters were open. On March 31, Governor Phil Murphy tweeted that “stay at home measures did not apply to victims seeking help,” a visible clue that government officials were aware of underreporting.

Safe housing received special protections and guidance

In an apparent move to protect victim access to safe housing, on April 24, 2020, Governor Murphy and Police Superintendent Callahan announced an administrative order preventing municipalities and counties from imposing COVID-19 related restrictions on hotels, motels, guest houses, or private residences housing individuals lacking permanent housing, including domestic violence victims, and extending protection from eviction to such individuals. On July 7th, the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) issued guidance to domestic violence providers of residential services requiring programs operating under contract with DCF to “use hotels or motels for overflow when their emergency safe houses are full or when a hotel better meets the needs of the survivor (accessibility, safety).”

Local conditions show the pandemic’s push and pull

We focused on Newark in our analysis for an “on the ground” look at how domestic violence rates changed over time in the pandemic. Comparing samples of the city’s arrest data for 2020 and 2018 revealed that domestic violence arrests were lower in Newark in early March 2020 compared to early March 2018, which again indicated underreporting. Arrests for domestic violence crimes in Newark, however, began to increase in late March 2020 and remained elevated (relative to 2018 data) through July 2020. According to the Newark Department of Public Safety’s own analysis, 188 domestic violence incidents in the city from March 21 through April 7, an 18% increase over the same period in 2019.

Restraining order data: TROs surge as courts resume

Data produced by the New Jersey Superior Court breaking down statewide applications for temporary restraining orders (TROs) showed relatively low numbers of requests in March and April, with most TROs issued by the police and very few issued by the courts. Courts were closed to virtually all in person hearings at this time and victims may not have known where to go, or were reluctant or unable to go to their local police station. As courts reopened, numbers of TRO requests rapidly increased. From late July to mid-September, total TRO requests rose sharply compared to pre-March levels, with the majority of TROs requested through the courts [See chart below.]

How can we do a better job? 

Having an accurate and detailed picture of what happened to domestic violence rates in New Jersey during the pandemic is crucial. With so much uncertainty about this winter and possible new shutdown measures, our hope is that this data can help guide best practices in assisting victims.

Anyone experiencing a violence and abusive relationship needs to hear the clear message that help is available — even at the height of a pandemic — and they must see the concrete steps they can take to get to safety. This includes basics such as how to obtain a restraining order when courts are closed, how to access shelter and still social distance, and steps to protect children.

It wasn’t lost on me that our findings were published at the tail end of October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Especially this year, it’s more important than ever that we don’t limit our awareness and education about domestic violence to a single month. We need to keep talking, keep sharing, and keep making sure victims know where and how to access help during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

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About Bari Weinberger, Esq.

Family law expert and certified matrimonial law attorney, Bari Z. Weinberger, is the founder and managing partner of Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group, a family law firm serving divorce and family law clients throughout New Jersey with offices in key locations throughout the state. Ms. Weinberger is also a published author and frequent media contributor on divorce and family law for both local and national audiences.