TOTAL crime in the Swan Hill region has dropped overall, but police are
concerned about a continuing strong rise in reports of assaults.
Overall,
total crime dropped 1.7 per cent, from 2497 in the year up to March 2012,
compared to 2454 offences in the year up to March 2013.
Crime against the
person rose 13.9 per cent, boosted predominantly by assaults (491 total) which
rose 22.4 per cent — 54 per cent of which were family violence.
However,
Inspector Jamie Templeton said the 13.9 per cent increase, was less than last
quarter’s 20 per cent increase and showed the increase was being stemmed.
“We
believe that the work we are doing in conjunction with these other agencies is
beginning to have impact,” Inspector Templeton said.
“Importantly though, as
we are advised by the ‘aggrieved family member’ [victim] of their particular
incident we are able to provide the reassurance that we will do everything
possible to break the cycle of family violence and prevent further such
behaviour.”
Police have also attributed the rise in recorded family violence
to increased reporting by victims.
“The reporting of family violence-related
assaults over the past 18 months has been above our expectations, however it
provides to us and other agencies engaged in this area an idea where the real
level of concern is.”
For more of this story, see Friday’s Guardian (May 31).
