Crime Victims Helpline Reports 15% Increase In Contacts; 135% Increase In Domestic-Violence-Related Crimes
The national Crime Victims Helpline (CVH) launched its 2020 Annual Report today detailing a 15% increase in contacts compared to 2019.
CVH recorded over 5,170 contacts over the free helpline 116 006, text, email, and post.
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.”
Similar to previous years, the most common crimes that service users were impacted by in 2020 were harassment and assault.
Long-time CVH volunteer and Board Member, Eileen Brady, stated:
"I am so grateful the helpline was able to continue to operate, without disruption, throughout 2020.
I’ve volunteered for over ten years and last year was the toughest I can remember for victims.
It was a privilege to be able to provide support and a listening ear to so many people who desperately needed it.”
Domestic-violence related contacts increased an alarming 135% compared to the previous year.
Ms. Puckhaber adds:
"The significant negative impact Covid restrictions had on people living with domestic violence has been well documented by domestic violence charities.
Therefore, it is no surprise that Crime Victims Helpline contacts about domestic-violence-related crimes increased so significantly in 2020.
The range of crimes impacting these victims was wide and included harassment, stalking, coercive control, threats to kill and assault.”
The entire 2020 Annual Report can be viewed on the Crime Victims Helpline website: here.
