Violence in California reached “epidemic proportions” during the pandemic, although most victims didn’t report it, according to a new study at the University of San Diego.
The 2022 California Study on Violence Experiences Across the Lifespan (CalVEX) traced rising violence in the Golden State to growing economic insecurity, unemployment, and social inequality.
“Californians are experiencing violence at epidemic proportions,” said the study’s lead researcher, Dr Anita Raj, professor at UC San Diego’s School of Medicine and Division of Social Sciences.
“Current violence prevention efforts are clearly woefully inadequate and often ignore the gendered nature of violence, its intersections with other socioeconomic vulnerabilities, and its disproportionate effects on marginalized populations.”…