Analysis should be undertaken to find out why more women do not proceed with complaints to Gardai about violent partners, the Galway County Council Joint Policing Committee heard this week.
The meeting was told that the number of domestic disputes in Galway for which no offence was progressed rose by 40 per cent last year, an increase that caused consternation among the members.
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Committee member Dep Catherine Connolly said she was shocked by the figures revealed at the meeting. She asked if any analysis is being done by Gardai to determine why many women do not progress to making a complaint against their violent partners.
Chief Supt Tom Curley said the rise in incidents is probably a consequence of the increased time that that people are spending in close promitiy in homes, due to the lockdown.
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He wernt on to report that there is now a Protective Services Unit for the division, and Gardai have comprehensive and robust systems in place to deal with the problem. "We are top of the class in terms of callback and we have a particular focus on repeat incidents linked to an address or individual."
He said however, that despite all of this, Gardai cannot pursue an investigation if the people concerned refuse to make a statement of complaint.
