SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns are spending a lot more time at home in light of all the restrictions that have been put into place in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
But some are concerned that fighting a deadly virus could also put some people in a deadly situation.
“Self-isolation is necessary to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, (but) for people experiencing domestic or intimate partner abuse, staying home may be unsafe,” the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition said on Twitter Thursday.
Davis County sheriff’s spokeswoman Elizabeth Sollis said for some victims of domestic violence, their only source of refuge is going to work or simply taking a trip to the library. Law enforcers fear abuse may go up now that those escapes have been taken away.
Isolation itself is a tactic used by abusers, Sollis said. Abusers will try to gain control over a partner by isolating them, which includes limiting the contact they have with friends, family and co-workers by phone and social media.
On top of that, many residents are already on edge over concerns about the spread of coronavirus and losing their jobs.
“Emotions are high, people are stressed, there’s all kinds of uncertainties,” Sollis said. “It’s definitely a concern.”
That’s why Sollis and others, including the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, want the public to know that 24-hour hotlines and shelters are still operating.
An increase in child abuse is another area advocates are concerned about, now that school and many sports activities are on hold.
“Everybody is in the same home base all day,” Sollis said. “When we’re all cooped up in same space for long time, we get on each others’ nerves.”
The Deseret News talked to several law enforcement agencies along the Wasatch Front. And while all of them said it is too early to determine whether domestic violence is up since more people started staying home, there have been some cases in which coronavirus was implied as a factor in either alleged abuse or in adding to a person’s stress.
- On Thursday, police say a Provo woman, 26, got into an argument with her husband and then started to choke him. She kicked one of her young children and twisted the arm of another who tried to assist their father, according to charging documents.
When the woman was originally arrested, officers noted that the woman “was upset about her children’s school circumstances in regards to the coronavirus.”
She was charged with child abuse, assault, and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child.
- On Wednesday, a 41-year-old Salt Lake man was arrested and accused of making a terroristic threat. The man “called Intermountain Medical Center and asked to be tested for the COVID-19 virus. When the employee told (him) that they would not be able to provide him with a test, he got upset and threatened to bring a bomb to the hospital and put it inside the cafeteria or a conference room,” according to a police affidavit.
“He also made the statement (that) the employee should keep them and their family safe.”
- Also Wednesday, a 33-year-old Clinton man was arrested for investigation of aggravated assault producing a loss of consciousness, and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of children.
The man told police he and his wife “had been in an argument about her losing her job and how they were going to pay for all of the bills.” The wife initially came at the man with a “kitchen stove grate,” which he took away and hit her on the head with, a police affidavit states.
Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon said his department has not seen any recent spikes in domestic violence. But he said there is typically an increase during Christmas and Thanksgiving and holidays when families are spending more time together and are often more stressed about money.
The current recommendations asking people to shelter at home and many people being laid off could create similar scenarios, he said.
Likewise, Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking said that while his department has not noticed a spike in domestic violence cases, “We’re definitely tracking all of it.”
Wilking said his department will closely be monitoring statistics each week to see which crimes are down and if any are rising in light of new ordinances restricting public gatherings.
He said police will be watching not only for incidents involving cohabitants, but also separated people who don't have much else to do but think about their exes.
Sollis encourages those who need help to not let any local or state restrictions stop them from getting help.
“If somebody needs to go stay at a relative’s house because that will help them stay alive, then they should do that,” she said.
But mostly, Sollis encourages the public to help one another during these “uncertain times.”
“I just think right now in these times, just be kind and be patient and try to develop empathy, because it’s impacting everybody in a different way. Some people are really in fear of losing their life (to COVID-19). Helping people find calm is important for all of us.”
If someone is in immediate danger, they should call 911, Sollis said.
“And if you believe someone is using this opportunity (of being isolated in their home) to exercise control over others, call a nonemergency number.”
Other resources include:
Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990, www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline/contact-us
Utah Domestic Violence LINKLine: 1-800-897-LINK (5465), www.udvc.org
Rape & Sexual Assault Crisis Line: 1-888-421-1100
Utah Child Abuse/Neglect Intake Line: 1-855-323-3237, dcfs.utah.gov/services/child-protective-services
Utah Adult Protective Services: 1-800-371-7897, daas.utah.gov/adult-protective-services
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, suicidepreventionlifeline.org
SafeUT: 1-833-372-3388 (833-3SAFEUT), healthcare.utah.edu/uni/safe-ut
Utah Parent Center: 1-800-468-1160, utahparentcenter.org
The Family Support Center: 801-955-9110, www.familysupportcenter.org
Prevent Child Abuse Utah: 801-532-3404, pcautah.org
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888, humantraffickinghotline.org
211 Utah: 2-1-1, 211utah.org