Police patrol Beauregard Lane, the scene of a serious sexual assault on a woman early this year. Offences against women showed an increase in 2008 while crime overall fell. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0743951)

DOMESTIC abuse complaints rose by 156 last year, it has been revealed.

And the number of alleged rapes more than doubled.

Guernsey Police released its annual report yesterday and highlighted the frequency of domestic-abuser arrests.

The issue has been in the news recently after a row broke out among deputies over the omission of a planned domestic abuse strategy from the States Strategic Plan list of ‘essential’ extra services that must be funded in 2010.

In his report, Chief Officer of Guernsey Police George Le Page said that officers continued to be the front line in tackling domestic abuse.

‘The Family Protection Unit acts as a focal point for other agencies in relation to domestic abuse issues,’ he said.

‘They offer support, advice and guidance to victims and investigators. The current domestic violence policy continues to be effective and police officers regularly arrest offenders when attending incidents, with or without formal complaints from victims.’

There were 878 reported incidents of domestic abuse during 2008, an increase of almost 22%.

It has been estimated that domestic abuse costs the island’s public services £4.2m. a year.