Within the chaos of the worldwide pandemic, house safety is becoming an even higher priority within the chaos across the Quad Cities.
Just last month, an estimated 2.6 million guns were sold, which is an 85% increase in gun sales over the same period last year. The third week of March — when many began to feel the shock of the pandemic — was the busiest week for gun sales with an estimated 1.2 million sales in that week alone.
In such a worrisome time, it only makes sense that families are preparing for the worst. Historically, in times of need and panic, crime rates tend to increase. The Great Depression, which is being compared to the likely future of the United States, is well known for its increase in crime during the economic collapse.
The pandemic is causing a great fall in the economy; thousands of people are losing their jobs, losing their consumers and/or not buying as many products in general. When less people have jobs or income, more people become inclined to steal and rob in order to care for themselves and their families. If people can’t get the money to maintain their necessities anymore, it historically results in an increase in crime rate solely because people can no longer feed their families without committing a crime.
Many PV families are becoming increasingly worried about their safety as the pandemic continues. “My parents have been a lot more concerned about my safety since all the chaos of the pandemic started,” stated junior Julia Leach. “My parents don’t want me leaving the house besides when I have to go to work, and when I do leave, they want me to text them that I got to where I was going. They didn’t do that as much before the pandemic started.”
A lot of families around the community are taking the same measures to ensure the safety of their loved ones. Many families are beginning to buy security cameras, baseball bats, pepper spray and guns — as mentioned earlier — in order to protect themselves and their household. It’s a scary time for many individuals and families around the country, and considering the history, it’s very understandable why many individuals feel the need to increase their safety in these trying times.
