Campaign Launches To Tackle Domestic Abuse

The PSNI has launched a campaign after new figures revealed a rise in domestic abuse incidents over the holiday period.

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

The campaign will run from now until the end of July and it aims to encourage victims to report incidents of domestic abuse.

Detective Superintendent Ryan Henderson, from PSNI's Public Protection Branch, said: "We know, unfortunately, over the holiday period incidents of domestic abuse rise. 

"From 1 July 2017 until 31 August 2017 there were 5,156 incidents of domestic abuse reported to us. This is compared to 4,960 incidents reported to us the previous year, an increase of 196 incidents.

"Also, when we look at the overall figures for the year we see an increase as well. 

"From 1 April 2017 until 31 March 2018, 29,913 domestic abuse incidents were recorded by us– again an increase of 747 incidents compared to the same period the previous year when 29,166 domestic abuse incidents recorded by police.

"It is the highest level of recorded incidents since we started recording data in 2004/05.

"We believe that this increase shows that the awareness and recognition of Domestic Abuse is increasing in the public, as is confidence in reporting Domestic Abuse to police and our partner agencies. 

"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."

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.

(CD/LM)