Basel victim support service links summer heat to surge in violence

SRF reported that the victim support service for Basel and surrounding areas received nearly 30 percent more calls from June to August than during the same period last year, with 1,100 calls compared with 850. Its director, Beat John, described the increase as unprecedented.

The organisation recorded significantly more cases of domestic and sexual violence, with more women seeking help. Violence in public places, including during leisure activities, in parks and at events, also increased, John said.

He attributed part of the rise to the extreme summer heat, saying high temperatures could cause stress, irritability and aggression. When people could no longer recover from the heat, he said, conflicts could escalate more quickly.

The increase was not linked to the national 24-hour victim hotline, which began operating in May. Calls to that number remained fairly stable, while the Basel organisation’s direct line received 80 to 100 calls a day.

John said greater public awareness of violence might also encourage more people to seek help. The service’s caseloads had risen by an estimated 10 to 15 percent annually in recent years, but August saw a 36 percent increase in cases compared with the previous year. He said that jump could not be explained by awareness alone.

John welcomed efforts by society and politicians to address heat and drought. He also pointed to overcrowded hospital emergency departments and said the issue needed to be tackled to help limit the rise in cases.