Unintended consequences of lockdowns, COVID-19 and the Shadow Pandemic in India

Violence against women is a problem worldwide, with economic costs ranging from 1% to 4% of global gross domestic product. During the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdowns, the United Nations coined the term the Shadow Pandemic to describe the increase in global violence against women. Here, using vari...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature human behaviour 2023-03, Vol.7 (3), p.323-331
Main Authors: Ravindran, Saravana, Shah, Manisha
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
4014/159
4014/4004
706/689/159
Behavioral Sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Communicable Disease Control
Complaints
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
COVID-19 - epidemiology
Cybercrime
Domestic Violence
Experimental Psychology
Female
GDP
Gender-based violence
Gross Domestic Product
Humans
India - epidemiology
Life Sciences
Microeconomics
Mobility
Neurosciences
Pandemics
Pandemics - prevention & control
Personality and Social Psychology
Public spaces
Public transportation
Rape
Sex crimes
Violence against women
Workplaces
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Summary:Violence against women is a problem worldwide, with economic costs ranging from 1% to 4% of global gross domestic product. During the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdowns, the United Nations coined the term the Shadow Pandemic to describe the increase in global violence against women. Here, using variation in the intensity of government-mandated lockdowns in India, we show that domestic violence complaints increase significantly in districts with the strictest lockdown rules. We find similarly large increases in cybercrime complaints. However, rape and sexual assault complaints decrease in districts with the strictest lockdowns, consistent with decreased female mobility in public spaces, public transport and workplaces where they might be at greater risk for rape and sexual assault. Medium-term analysis shows that increases in domestic violence complaints persist 1 year later, while other complaints related to rape, sexual assault and cybercrimes return to pre-lockdown levels. Lockdowns may help control disease, but also come with potential costs. Domestic violence complaints in India increased in districts with the strictest lockdown rules, and remained higher 1 year later, even after restrictions were loosened.
ISSN:2397-3374
2397-3374
DOI:10.1038/s41562-022-01513-5