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Social isolation is known to be associated with abuse (and a host of other negative ailments too, for that matter).
So, "abuse went up around covid" is more likely to do with that than any of the other scapegoats someone might go looking for.
A flood destroyed the town. The economy isn't doing too well now. I wonder why. Huh, quite a few people are drinking alcohol now (maybe from losing their homes). Well, it's got to be that doing it.
Not a real example but you get the analogy.