Reports of domestic abuse surged over the festive period, with the PSNI receiving an average of 92 calls a day over Christmas and New Year.
According to figures published on Thursday, the daily number of calls recorded between December 20 and January 2 was higher than the annual average of 80.
New Year’s Day saw the highest number of calls, with 127 reports recorded. The second and third highest numbers were recorded on December 27 and 26, with 109 and 102 calls respectively.
According to the figures a total of 1,288 domestic abuse calls were made to police during that period, down from 1,336 calls recorded in the same period the previous year.
Commenting on statistics the Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime Geraldine Hanna said: “It is truly tragic that there was, on average, 92 domestic abuse calls a day to the police over the Christmas period.
“Victims of domestic abuse often talk about how the festive period is a time of particular danger for them and this is sadly reflected in this data.
“Over the last number of years we have increasingly heard the message from government and the criminal justice system that domestic abuse is unacceptable and victims should come forward.
“The challenge now for them is to make sure their actions match those messages. Victims need properly resourced support and a criminal justice system that deals with their cases efficiently and in a trauma-informed way.
“I am pleased to see the police publishing this data. Capturing data like this is a key step in understanding and combatting domestic abuse. Publishing it helps to inform the public and provide transparency.
“Next year I would welcome the publication of some more specific demographic data including the break-down of the age of victims.”