There's been a 10% increase in incidents of domestic abuse reported to gardaí in the first four months of this year, compared to the first four months of 2025.
Between 1 January and 20 April more than 17,900 incidents of domestic abuse were reported.
The figures were released as part of Go Purple Day, which aims to raise awareness about domestic abuse and the supports available.
It is part of a continuing trend which has seen incidents and calls to gardaí increase year on year.
In 2022 gardaí recorded 46,121 incidents of domestic abuse, this rose to 47,163 the following year, and to 49,758 in 2024, and up to 52,666 last year, which is more than 1,000 a week and a 6% increase on 2024.
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Calls have also risen, with gardaí receiving 67,506 domestic abuse related contacts last year, up from 65,224 in 2024, and up substantially from 44,782 in 2020 during the pandemic.
In October 2024 a report of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate found that 39% of victims who responded to the inspectorate's survey said they had not reported their most recent incident of domestic abuse to An Garda Síochána.
Of the respondents who had reported their abuse to gardaí, 48% reported that they were dissatisfied with how their initial report was dealt with.
"Its very disappointing for us to hear when people say they didn't get the service that they thought they would get when they come forward and our commissioner has acknowledged that, but that is something we are continually working on," Superintendent Georgina Gray from the Garda National Protective Services Bureau said.
Supt Gray said they were working with "frontline members" and with the Garda Training Academy, and she said that each garda division now had a Protective Services Bureau.
"I would say to people, if you come forward and you don't get a response you want, please don't be put off... we are absolutely there, we are there to support, we are there to help and we are there to investigate."
Watch: Domestic abuse can be 'hidden crime' - Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis
In 2025, Fiosrú established a Specialist Services Unit to investigate incidents, including public complaints, where a garda is accused of domestic violence, coercive control, abuse of power for sexual purposes, child sexual abuse or sexual assault.
In April of this year it was confirmed that it was conducting 12 investigations where a garda is an alleged perpetrator and 23 investigations where a garda is alleged to have failed to properly deal with a report of domestic and sexual abuse.
Supt Gray said there was "zero tolerance" for domestic abusers within An Garda Síochána.
"We welcome Fiosrú", Superintendent Gray said, "we welcome anybody who will help ensure that we deliver a really good service and we too have investigated incidents of domestic abuse for our own members, who are abusers and have successfully prosecuted them before the courts."
The statistics released by An Garda Síochána also show that there were more than 13,350 charges or summons created in 2025 from domestic abused incidents, which is up 2% on 2024.
In the first four months of 2026 there have been 4,900 such charges or summons issued, an increase of 14% on the same period last year.
In 2019 Ireland introduced a specific offence for coercive control.
In the first four months of 2019 there were 52 incidents of coercive control reported, which is down 2% on the same period in 2025.
Domestic abuse is not a private issue, it is a societal issue", Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime, Angela Willis said, praising the Go Purple Day initiative, which she said "increases the visibility of supports".
"By continuing to work together, we can continue to support victims, build trust and build confidence, challenge the abuse and help to create safer communities," she added.
