The number of domestic violence cases more than doubled in the first four months this year compared with the same period in 2006, the police commissioner said yesterday.
Tang King-shing assured business leaders at a Chinese General Chamber of Commerce gathering that despite the crime rate increasing by 4.3 per cent in the first four months compared to last year, 'crimes that the public are most concerned about, such as murder, burglary and robbery, are all on the decline'.
'So where does the increase come from? In domestic violence cases we see a significant increase,' he said.
In the first four months, police handled more than 2,400 cases of domestic violence, compared with around 1,110 in the same period last year.
However, Mr Tang said this was because of government initiatives aimed at publicising the issue and greater public awareness, meaning more people now came forward to report such cases.
He also said co-operation between police and the business community could enhance Hong Kong's prosperity, adding that more multinational companies were willing to invest and set up headquarters in a city renowned for its low crime rate.