Sharp rise in domestic violence figures in Kilkenny

A councillor has called for domestic violence to be added to the agenda of the next meeting of the Joint Policing Committee described the current statistics as ‘hugely worrying’.

“In the first five months there were 2019 there were 82 reported domestic incidents and during the same time period this year they have been 214 incidents. Clearly this is a hugely worrying statistic. This is not happening in the public realm and is primarily women at risk,” he said.

“I am aware that was there was an extensive campaign around the reporting of domestic violence over the last couple of years. The reality is that people are not safe in their own homes,” he added.

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Chief Superintendent Anthony Pettit said that gardaí are finding that more and more assaults are taking place in domestic situations and people are reporting them. There is a now a higher reporting of assaults in a domestic setting,” he added.

During a presentation to members of the JPC Inspector Alma Molloy outlined how local gardaí had rolled out the Go Purple initiative earlier in the year to raise awareness around domestic violence and the reporting of it.

The most recent crime statistics available reveal that there were 214 domestic incidents reported in the first five months of this year compared to 182 during the same period last year.

Chief Supt Pettit said that the policy now is a callback within 24 hours and a follow up a week later and after a month in all incidents.