WOMEN in County Durham feel increasingly confident to report cases of domestic abuse, according to Police Crime and Victims’ Commissioner Ron Hogg.

The Office for National Statistics published figures this week shows the scale of domestic abuse in England and Wales and more than ten percent of 16-24 year old women experienced it in the last year alone.

The figures also identify County Durham as one of the areas where cases of domestic abuse are most likely to be reported.

Ron Hogg said “These figures demonstrate that the scale of domestic abuse in the UK is a real cause for concern.

“I know that police forces across the country are encouraging women to report incidents so that they can be dealt with.

“Over 80 percent of prosecutions lead to a successful conviction in the Durham Constabulary area.

“We can take some comfort from the higher figures in Durham.”

Durham Constabulary’s Domestic Abuse Innovations Team consists of specially trained officers introduced to improve the police response to those experiencing abuse.

A force spokesman said: “Victims should be reassured that when they report domestic abuse incidents to police, they will be taken seriously and we will do everything we can to help them.”