Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on gender-based violence homicides in Spain()

Circumstances under COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown have reduced the number of gender-based violence homicides in 2020, with a total number of 45, the lowest in the historical statistics. Analysis of these circumstances generated by the lockdown and mobility reduction, together the economical negative impact, has produced an increment of 49,6% in the number of calls to 016 (telephone for victims’ assistance), and a reduction of 14,6% in the complaints of violence during the months of lockdown. This situation reflects a higher control of victims and more difficulties to exit from violence, that has decreased the number of homicides to 4 during these months, the lowest within Spanish statistics. These circumstances are compatible with an increment of risk of aggressions and lethality, factor that can be related with the increment of homicides limited to August, when the mobility and socio-labor opportunities were recovered. The study of the social circumstances originated by the pandemic allows to describe three different patterns in the impact on gender-based violence.