The minister of equality between women and men, Taina Bofferding (LSAP), on Wednesday presented a report on domestic violence statistics for last year. Police responded to 917 calls, down from 943 in 2020. The public prosecutor evicted 249 offenders from their home, down from 278. This expulsion lasts for 14 days initially but can be extended to three months.

“Statistically, fewer cases were reported,” said Bofferding. “Numbers are one thing; the people behind these numbers experiencing violence in their everyday life and homes are another.”

And while police responded to fewer incidents of domestic violence, the number of victims grew, from 1,697 in 2020 to 1,712 last year. Just over 60% of victims are women, with just under 40% of victims being men.

However, the 2019 edition of the report presented on 8 June showed that in serious cases of assault or injury, more than 85% of victims are women. The 2020 report did not include this information and the full document for 2021 was not yet available at the time of publication.

The number of victims who are minors also rose, from 356 in 2020 to 389 last year.

More than two thirds of offenders (67.69%) were men. Not only adults commit domestic violence, however, with 3.81% of perpetrators being aged under 18.

Bofferding said that every victim must receive support but that efforts to combat domestic violence must also include working with offenders “to break the cycle of violence”. Prevention and awareness raising are also key, she said.

“Domestic violence concerns all of us,” the minister said, adding that it is an issue that extends into all areas of society. “Closing our eyes to it or trivialising it, is the worst option. Don’t look away.”