The number of calls to An Garda Síochána about domestic abuse went up by 17 percent last year, and have increased once again in 2021.
The latest report on Operation Faoiseamh shows that Gardaí were called to respond to domestic abuse incidents 43,500 times nationwide in 2020.
Provisional figures for this year to date show that there has been a further 10 percent increase in calls so far in 2021.
Gardaí say that the fifth phase of Operation Faoiseamh, which launched in April 2020 to provide more support for victims of domestic abuse, will focus on the enforcement of court orders and the prosecution of offenders.
Detective Chief Superintendent Colm Noonan said “The Christmas period is an enjoyable time for the majority of citizens but An Garda Síochána understands the fear and concern some in our community have in their own homes, which can be further heightened at this time of year.”
He said An Garda Síochána is appealing to victims of domestic abuse that they are not along, and reminding them that the police force is there to assist them.
“If you are a victim of abuse or you know of a family member or friend who is a victim of such abuse, that information is important to us and I ask that you make contact with An Garda Síochána.”
“If you require urgent assistance or support, please call 999 or 112, we are ‘STILL HERE’ to listen to help and to protect.”
Last year saw over 4,000 criminal charges for breaches of Domestic Violence Act Orders, and 7,600 charges for crimes involving elements of domestic abuse, both an increase of 24% compared with 2019.
There 217 prosecutions taken last year which were directly related to Operation Faoiseamh, and Gardaí made 22,795 contacts and attempted contacts with victims of domestic abuse.
