135% Increase In Calls To The National Crime Victims Helpline In 2020.

Tuesday, 5 October 2021 10:13

Harassment & assault were the most frequently reported crimes.

Domestic violence related contacts to a victims helpline increased by 135 percent last year.

The National Crime Victims Helpline recorded almost 5,200 contacts through calls, texts, emails and post in 2020.

That's up 15 percent on the previous year, according to its annual report.

It says harassment and assault were the most common crimes service users reported last year.

Michele Puckhaber, Executive Director, stated “The increase in contacts was particularly significant when considering the decrease in reported crime in 2020. Not only were we contacted by more people, calls on the helpline got longer and more intense. Many of our callers were suffering in isolation, separated from family and friends and without the usual activities of daily life for distraction.”

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