IJM Uganda staff have observed that government data shows a decrease in reporting due to the lockdown. A May 22 report on SGBV by the Ugandan Criminal Investigations Directorate showed decreases in reports of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking. IJM clients have indicated that the decrease may be the result of many people incorrectly assuming that regular police posts were not operational during the lockdown.
Moreover, since the 116/Child Helpline wasn’t operational for the first several weeks of the lockdown, women and children felt that there was nowhere for them to report. It is likely that some would have tried to mediate or otherwise resolve the situation themselves.
What is particularly alarming, however, is that the Criminal Investigations Directorate report shows that murder from domestic violence increased by over 20% in the period January through April, 2020. Details of these murders are not clear from the data; IJM is providing resources to assist police gather this type of data on an ongoing basis.
