The number of domestic and family violence victims seeking urgent assistance has increased by 10 per cent after the COVID-19 lockdown began in March.
New figures from the state government's Victims Services program reveal an increase in both male and female victims turning to frontline services after domestic violence, with the greatest spikes in Central Sydney, St George, Orange, Wagga Wagga and Newcastle.Some decreases were also recorded in Sutherland and Port Macquarie.
The report found there were 9809 referrals through the government's Safer Pathways program for female domestic and family violence victims in March, an increase of 11 per cent from the same period last year. For males there was an increase of almost 9 per cent. One reason for the discrepancy in the two data sets is that in some cases, victims of domestic violence contact support services for refuge or counselling before contacting police.
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