Crime in The Hills: Domestic violence jumps 41 per cent, BOCSAR report
Domestic violence has soared in the Hills region in the past two years, according to the latest crime data. SEE THE LATEST CRIME FIGURES IN THE HILLS HERE.
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Domestic violence has soared in The Hills in recent years, with the region recording the second-highest increase across Greater Sydney, new crime data shows.
The latest data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) shows that in the last two years, domestic violence-related assaults spiked by more than 41 per cent, the highest increase of all crimes in the region.
Between 2018 and 2019 the number of recorded domestic violence assaults rose from 212 to 300.
Violent crime overall jumped by almost a third, or 31.7 per cent, in the past five years.
The figures place the region just behind the Sutherland Shire, which recorded the highest increase out of all Sydney Local Government Areas, up by 37.4 per cent.
However, NSW Police Minister and Baulkham Hills State Liberal MP spoke positively of the latest crime trends.
Mr Elliott said the vast majority of major crimes had continued to remain stable or trend downward, despite a significant jump in domestic violence incidents.
“Increased community awareness and reporting as well as more police on the beat proactively targeting criminals and putting people before the courts are also reflected in BOCSAR’s results,” he said.
“I have raised concerns about the increase in domestic violence with the Local Area Commander and I am advised the rate of reporting has increased.
“People should always feel empowered to come forward when it is safe to do so and make a report to the NSW Police and hold perpetrators to account.”
Yvonne Keane, who chairs the board of The Sanctuary, The Hills Women’s Shelter, praised the efforts of local police in bringing offenders to justice but said more work was needed at all levels of government.
“The call to action is for the government to sit up and listen. It’s about putting money back into frontline services and providing a real solution for women when they don’t know where to go,” Ms Keane said.
The shelter caters for six women and up to 24 children at any given time and is always at capacity.
She said domestic violence was an “urgent crisis” in the region and beyond.
In the past month, the shelter had been inundated by women seeking help in the wake of the tragic murders of Queensland mum Hannah Clarke and her three children.
“We know without a doubt The Sanctuary and its sister shelters have prevented homicides like Hannah Clarke,” she said.
“What we will never know is how many homicides shelters like The Sanctuary and its sister shelters have prevented.”
The Hills also saw a rise in property offences in the past five years, which we up by more than seven per cent.
In the two years to December 2019, non-domestic violence assaults were up 24.8 per cent, while fraud jumped 18.3 per cent.
CRIME IN THE HILLS SHIRE — JAN TO DEC 2019
Murder: 0
DV assault: 300
Non-DV assault: 267
Sexual assault: 59
Indecent assault, act of indecency and other sexual offences: 89
Robbery without a weapon: 13
Robbery with a firearm: 1
Robbery with a weapon not a firearm: 13
Break and enter dwelling: 382
Break and enter non-dwelling: 100
Motor vehicle theft: 155
Steal from motor vehicle: 463
Steal from retail store: 361
Steal from dwelling: 242
Steal from person: 40
Fraud: 963
Malicious damage to property: 496