Organisations welcome increase in hate crime and domestic violence reporting
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Figures showing an increase in reporting of hate crime and domestic violence in Ireland have been welcomed by European Network Against Racism (ENAR) and Women’s Aid, the Irish Examiner reports.
An Garda Síochána’s annual report for 2017 reveals an 11 per cent increase in recorded hate crimes, a 16 per cent increase in recorded domestic violence incidents, and a 20 per cent rise in recorded sexual crimes.
Gardaí say the increases are a “desirable correction” because the crimes are typically under-reported.
Dr Lucy Michael from ENAR Ireland welcomed the increase but said it was still a “very small corrective on the very low rate of reporting”.
She said: “These new figures are a good start, but there is a long way to go. We need structural reform of An Garda Síochána to embed specialist expertise on hate crime across the force with appropriate resourcing.”
Margaret Martin of Women’s Aid added that the rise in reported domestic violence crimes was “not unexpected” and reflected “better performance” by gardaí.
She said the figures still do “not reflect the level of prevalence” of domestic violence crimes.
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