Sexual harm referrals spike during latest lockdown

• Published date: 30 September 2021

Queenstown Central Lakes Family Services clinical manager Fiona Young (right) says, when compared to last year’s lockdown, numbers have grown by 50% for sexual harm referrals and 25% for family violence.

But Young says it’s difficult to know if lockdown has a direct effect on those crimes, in particular, because those offences were steadily increasing, anyway.

‘‘Whether those numbers would have still been the same regardless of lockdown, I don’t know ... I think people are still recovering financially from last year so there’s probably still a lot of stress in the community... there’s so much uncertainty in a lockdown.’’

On family violence, Queenstown police family harm coordinator sergeant Steve Watt says cops haven’t seen any marked increases when the two lockdown periods are compared.

‘‘Depending on the situation and circumstance people may feel more comfortable going to a service provider like Central Lakes Family Services and receive help directly from them, instead of coming directly to the police, so there can be some differences in statistical recordings,’’ he says.

Regarding sexual violence, detective senior sergeant Malcolm Inglis says those incidents have also remained...