Crimes against life, health, sexual violence and accidental death during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria
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1
Department of General Medicine, Forensic Medicine and Deontology, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University, Pleven, Bulgaria
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Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, Pleven Medical University, Pleven, Bulgaria
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Bulgarian Public Health Association, Kostadinova, Bulgaria
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General Hospital "Heart and Brain", Pleven, Bulgaria
Publication date: 2023-04-27
Popul. Med. 2023;5(Supplement):A505
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The Covid 19 pandemic has imposed numerous restrictive measures leading to social isolation. The aim of the current study is to determine the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic and the restrictive measures implemented on crime against bodily integrity and accidental mortality. Materials and Methods: Official data published by the National Statistical Institute for the period 2019-2021 were used, and the same were processed with statistical methods. Results: It was found that in 2020 and 2021, total registered crimes against the person decreased compared to the previous two years by an average of about 6%. Compared to those registered in 2019, in 2020 and 2021 the following are reported: murders – 49, a decrease of 12.2% and 10.2%; attempted murders – 26, an increase of 7.7% and 19%; bodily injuries – 825, down 6% and 2.7%; violations against sexual privacy: Debauchery – 98, growth 31.6% and 11.22%; Rape (committed and attempted) – 51, growth 21.7% and no dynamics. Mortality due to accidents decreased from 23 per 100000 people in 2019 to 21 per 100,000 people in 2020 and 2021, being more significant in road traffic injuries - from 8.1 per 100,000 in 2019 to 6.3 per 100000 people in 2020 and 2021. Conclusions: In Bulgaria, the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictive measures and social isolation are manifested by a decrease in registered crimes against life and health, an increase in crimes against sexual privacy, a decrease in the death rate from accidents, most significantly in the death rate from road traffic traumatism. Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, crimes, mortality