A helpline for victims of crime saw a 20 per cent increase in calls in 2010.
The Crime Victims Helpline received 2,897 calls in 2010, an increase of 485 on the figure for 2009, according to its annual report published today. Helpline volunteers also made 2000 calls to or on behalf of callers.
Assault accounted for one in four calls to the helpline and the majority of these assaults were unprovoked, random occurrences making it difficult for them to be investigated.
The other most common crimes generating calls to the helpline were robbery, sexual violence and harassment.
The number of burglaries reported to the helpline has remained relatively constant since it was set up in 2005, despite the impact of the recession.
Speaking at the launch of annual report, Maeve Ryan, co-ordinator of the helpline, said the increase in calls showed the ongoing need for the service.
"The majority of our callers, about 60 per cent, required some level of emotional support. Many callers also felt the impact of secondary victimisation, as most people struggle to cope with the complexities of the criminal justice system in the aftermath of becoming a victim of crime."
"Most of our calls are about anti-social behaviour. It is a less serious crime and difficult to prove but the consequences of it are immense," she said.
Lord Mayor of Dublin, Andrew Montague – himself the victim of several break-ins and a mugging in the past two years - said tackling the problem of anti-social behaviour was imperative as early intervention stopped it escalating into serious crime.
He recommended restorative justice – where the victim meets the perpetrator – on the spot fines and curfews monitored by electronic tagging for less serious crimes instead of prison sentences.
"Short prison sentences are counter productive. When you bring troubled people together they form new networks and commit more and more serious crimes. Research shows that where it has been done, restorative justice has reduced crime rates," he said.
Gillian Hussey, a patron and director of the helpline and a former District Court judge, said restorative justice was a "wonderful way forward."
"I am a great advocate of restorative justice. It is difficult to get the victim and perpetrator of a crime together but I wish the Government would see a way to expand this programme. It would be well worth it."
She also highlighted the problem of anti-social behaviour.
"If there was less anti-social behaviour behaviour you could do away with a lot of district court justices. If I found six sober crinimals in a year it's about all as many as I found. They are not as buoyant without drugs or alcohol.
The National Crime Victims Helpline is a freephone number – 116 006 – and the website is crimevictimshelpline.ie. The service can also be accessed by texting 085 1337711.