10/07/2017

Online Campaign To Tackle Domestic Violence Launched

The PSNI has launched a new campaign targeting domestic abuse over the summer months.

The online initiative, which will run from now until the end of August, aims to help encourage victims to come forward to report incidents of domestic abuse.

The message of the campaign is; 'If you feel like you're walking on eggshells that's domestic abuse'

Detective Chief Superintendent George Clarke, Head of the PSNI’s Public Protection Branch, said between 01 July 2016 and 31 August 2016, there were were 4,960 incidents of domestic abuse reported to police, compared with 4,795 the previous year, an increase of 165 incidents.

Mr Clarke said: "From 1 April 2016 until 31 March 2017 there were 29,166 domestic abuse incidents recorded to the police, this is again an increase of 774 incidents compared to the same period the previous year. It is the also the highest level of recorded incidents since we started recording data in 2004/05.

"We welcome the increase because we believe this shows confidence is increasing in the police. It also reflects our continued commitment to working in partnership with many statutory and voluntary organisations to increase reporting and improve our response to victims of domestic abuse. Despite the rise in the number of reported incidents we still believe that a large number of domestic incidents are going unreported."

Overall, officers receive 80 reports of domestic abuse every day throughout the summer holidays, with police responding to an incident of Domestic abuse every 18 minutes.

A 24-hour Domestic and Sexual Helpline is available to anyone who has concerns about domestic or sexual violence, now or in the past on 0808 802 1414. Anyone suffering from domestic abuse are encouraged to contact their local police on the non-emergency number 101 or in an emergency always call 999.

(LM/MH)

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