Domestic violence accounted for 31% of all common assaults reported in crime sector 2 of Brackenfell between October and March.
This was revealed at a crime dialogue held at Heidekoppie Church in Protea Heights on Friday evening.
About 50 residents attended the dialogue to have a closer look at the crimes being committed in their area.
The head of Visible Policing and acting station commander Lt Col Patrick Jacobs presented the findings as analysed by the police’s crime intelligence unit.
The presentation focussed on the prevalence and occurrence of hot spot crimes.
Jacobs holds the belief that cases of domestic violence remains a concern and is under reported.
“To fight the scourge of domestic violence all role players including the police, the courts and social development structures have to cooperate. We need to work together to efficiently help the victims of domestic violence. Any gender based violence needs to be prioritised,” he says.
It was furthermore revealed that common assault in itself represented 60% of all contact crime for the same period and also includes scuffles at social venues which attributes to 15% of all assaults. Work related assaults also accounted for 15% of all common assaults.
According to Jacobs 34% of the entire crime profile in the sector is contact related crimes. Following common assault, assault with the intention to do grievous bodily harm accounted for 6% of contact crime, murder of 5%, rape of 5%, and business robberies of 3%.
According to Jacobs the majority of contact crimes take place on Saturdays between 15:00 and 18:00.
“In the case of domestic violence most incidents are reported over weekends when everyone is home,” says police spokesperson Capt Erica Crous.
Insofar as property related crime pertains it accounted for 44% of all crime reported in sector 2 during this time.
House breaking remains the highest with 46%, followed by theft out of motor vehicles at 22% and theft of motor vehicles at 17%.
According to Jacobs 24% of property crimes take place on Fridays between 15:00 and 18:00 and the rest sporadically on the other days of the week.
Crime sector two includes Protea Heights North and South, Ruwari, Protea Village, Sonkring, De Oude Spruit, Kaapzicht, Bracken Gate Industrial and part of Stikland industrial area.
Another crime dialogue will be held for the residents of crime sector 1 on Thursday evening 31 March at 18:00 at the Dutch Reformed church in Brackenfell West in Janie Street, Ferndale.
