Police officers are “in talks” to pilot a scheme with social services to help protect victims of domestic abuse within 24 hours of a report being made, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has said.
It comes after there were four reported sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults in Derry over the past two weeks.
In the first two of those cases, police say they have identified suspects, with one man having already appeared in court charged with a serious sexual assault on a woman aged in her 50s.
However, there were two reported incidents at the weekend where women had to fight off an attacker armed with a knife.
The same man is thought to be responsible for both of those sexually motivated attacks and, as of now, remains at large.
Since 2020, 24 women have been violently killed in Northern Ireland. In at least 20 of the deaths, the killers – or the suspects – were well-known to the women.
At least 18 of the women were attacked or killed in their own homes.
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At a Policing Board meeting on Thursday, Mr Boutcher said: “We are currently in talks with partners in health and social care to pilot a daily joint risk management meeting with social services for those domestic abuse cases which occurred in the preceding 24 hours.
“I am acutely aware of the recent attacks on females in Derry-Londonderry and the impact this is having on women in the area.”
He pointed out how tackling violence against women and girls is a “priority” for the PSNI and that the number of instances reported in the Derry and Strabane area has actually dropped in the past 12 months.
“Even though these instances are actually reduced over the past year, we welcome the focus on violence against women and girls in everyday life as these two recent reports are incredibly concerning because they are so unusual,” he said.
“We are deploying extra resources in that area so people feel safe, but the focus is on making sure the perpetrator does not feel safe to go about their business and so people can report violent and predatory behaviours.
“Tackling violence against women and girls is an absolute priority for this organisation and it’s no doubt that we have made significant progress in our efforts pursuing and prosecuting perpetrators and liaising with key partners in this.
“Unfortunately, all too often, by the time the police become involved, it is too late and this is a societal issue where we all need to play our part in respecting each other and continuing to make it a hostile environment for perpetrators.”
News Catch Up – Thursday 7 November