Domestic violence increase in Winchester (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Domestic violence increase in Winchester

3:00pm Monday 20th February 2012 in News

CIVIC chiefs have pledged to crack down on domestic violence in Winchester after a surge in cases at the end of last year.

Of the 77 incidents in the final three months of 2011, 19, or 24 per cent, were repeat cases.

This was double the percentage of the previous three months and six per cent above the council’s target of dealing with repeat incidents.

But Cllr John Cooper, deputy leader and portfolio holder for communities, safety and public health, told the overview and scrutiny committee on Monday the spike was a national trend that happens annually around Christmas.

Cllr Cooper added the council had improved its record on dealing with domestic violence.

He said: “We need to not just detect the offence but to act and deal with it, and that has certainly got better in the last year.”

Lib Dem leader Kelsie Learney added: “Domestic violence is a very important issue and we need to make sure it is being dealt with.”