Central Hunter police saw a drop in the number of domestic violence reports during the recent Christmas period compared with 2015.
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According to police data, there were 81 reports of domestic violence in December, down from 92 in the same month of 2015.
The news came after November figures also recorded a year-on-year drop, with 29 fewer reports.
Central Hunter crime manager Detective Inspector George Radmore said he believed the decrease was due to a number of factors.
He said there had been a cultural change in society, with more people willing to report domestic violence and seek help.
But Inspector Radmore said domestic violence remained “way under-reported”.
“Domestic violence is a horrendous crime, we need to be focused on that,” he said.
Carrie’s Place CEO Jan McDonald said that the depth of the problem was not reflected in the statistics.
She said from the data Carrie’s Place had gathered, 50 per cent or fewer incidents of domestic violence were reported to police.
Ms McDonald said the drop during the Christmas period was not enough to say the problem was improving.
“The statistics can have a number of meanings. It’s way too complex,” she said. “The data can be really misleading.”
The rate of alcohol-related domestic violence assaults remained stable, with 32 in December 2016 compared to 31 in the same month the previous year.
Inspector Radmore said with the weather being warmer, more people were drinking alcohol.
He said alcohol was a major factor in domestic violence, but that it wasn’t an excuse.
“If you’re a person prone to aggression upon drinking, responsibility needs to come into it where you just don’t engage in that behaviour,” he said.
“Take responsibility for your own actions and moderate your consumption of alcohol.”
The legal action rate for domestic violence in the Central Hunter was above average, with 71 per cent of cases resulting in charges, compared to the state-average of 65 per cent.
Inspector Radmore encouraged people to continue to report violence to police, who would do all they could to help.
- Are you experiencing sexual assault or domestic violence? Call 1800 Respect (1800 737 732).