Victim Support has expressed concern at the ‘alarming increase’ in the numbers of people presenting for assistance after violent crime.
Following the release last night of statistics in the Annual Garda Report Victim Support has confirmed the increase in serious crime during 2000 and 2001.
Statistics in the Annual Garda Report show that for the year 2000 violent assaults were up by over 130% on the previous year. A total of 1,703 assaults causing bodily harm were recorded in 2000 as against 737 in the previous year.
Victim Support has supported an increasing number of people affected by serious crime in the last two years, according to the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer Ms Lillian McGovern.
Ms McGovern said there is also a change in the profile of those seeking the help of Victim Support and that over the last two years the number of those affected by serious assaults, particularly in the 18-25 age bracket has increased considerably.
"Figures show that there has been a noticeable increase in personal assaults during the summer months with July and August being the most significant months" she said.
The organisation's Court Witness service which offers support to those attending court as witnesses has also seen a significant increase in the number of those supported. The number of court cases attended was 175 in 2001 with rape and sexual assault accounting for 67 of these cases. This represents an increase of 38 in the number of rape cases supported in 2000.
Ms McGovern said this was a significant increase and "highlights the increasing severity of crime experienced in Ireland over the last couple of years".
However, the figures in the garda report show that armed robberies, burglaries, and thefts from cars were down. The report notes that "serious crime" is at its lowest level in 20 years, despite the increase in murders, manslaughter, assaults and domestic violence.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr John O'Donoghue TD, said the report is "evidence that commitments made to the Irish people in relation to fighting crime are being delivered on."
Labour Party spokesman on Justice Mr Brendan Howlin TD said today he believed the figures for 2001 would show a further increase in violent assaults. He said that "despite the Minister’s bravado about zero tolerance people feel less safe walking the streets now than when John O’Donoghue came to office."