Reported domestic violence crimes have risen by 6.5 per cent across North Yorkshire between April and June this year, prompting police to assess whether the increase is due to more victims or greater confidence in reporting.
Reported domestic violence crimes have jumped by 6.5 per cent across North Yorkshire during the first quarter of the financial year.
The newly released figures, which cover the period from the start of April to June, represent a notable increase in reports made to the local police force.
A total of 108 additional domestic violence crimes were recorded during this three-month window, prompting a review of how the police and partner agencies respond to violence and abuse.
The region's Chief Constable, Tim Forber, has issued a warning regarding the rising figures, questioning whether the data reflects an actual increase in offences or a growing willingness among victims to come forward and speak to officers:
"6.5%, that's 108 additional domestic violence crimes that have been reported to North Yorkshire police. Now, not all of those will have a male perpetrator and a female victim. A lot will, you could ask the question is that 108 more victims or is that 108 more people who have reported? Did those 108 people not report last year? See, I I think personally think with domestic abuse you've got to have a look at your statistics, they are important, you've got to then have a conversation with your advocacy services around domestic abuse. What are they seeing, what's the sense of feedback that they're getting from service users and and take a broader holistic approach right across all the commission services around around violence against women and girls."
Police leaders are now looking closely at how commissioned advocacy services interact with those affected by domestic abuse, aiming to understand the diverse and individual needs of service users.
The focus is shifting towards a broader, more holistic approach to support individuals, acknowledging that victims have vastly different expectations when they contact the authorities.
For some individuals reporting abuse, the primary goal is a formal criminal justice outcome, while others simply want the immediate violence to stop or require support to get their lives back on track.
Recognising these varying expectations, the force is scrutinising its current response to ensure it operates effectively alongside partnership organisations.
Discussing the complexities of victim support and the importance of a partnership response, Chief Constable Tim Forber added:
"Do we think that it's going, do we think that the volumes are going up or down? Do we think that we're getting an increasing level of confidence from more people to report and if those people who report are they getting what they want? Now, for some people that will be a criminal justice outcome, for others it will just be that they want it to stop. For others, it will be the need to get support, to get their lives back on track or it could be people have very diverse needs and it's really important that I think we, as the police service, understand that, and in terms of of of scrutinizing our response it's very much about partnership response."
The force continues to monitor the statistics while gathering feedback from advocacy services to ensure victims across North Yorkshire receive the appropriate help.
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