To combat the statistics, a new Domestic Violence Operative role has been created with Armidale Local Area Command police.

Inspector Stuart Gray said the issue is prevalent across Australia.

“It’s something that has been hidden for a long time,” Mr Gray said.

“We’re encouraging people to report these issues as much as they can so we can protect the victims and take action against the offenders.”

The DVO’s role is to coordinate and identify high risk offenders and repeat victims of domestic violence.

Instead of waiting for an incident to be reported, police are making unannounced visits to the homes of offenders.

Police will then make sure the victim is safe, and the offender is complying with the conditions of their Apprehended Violence Order.

Inspector Stuart Gray said the new model has drastically reduced rates of re-offending.

“The victims have embraced the process because they’re getting support not only from police but from external agencies,” he said.

“Secondly, the offenders have been put on notice – a lot of them have actually welcomed the process because it stops them from re-offending.

“A lot of what we see is alcohol-related or anger-management related, everyone is different, they need to be treated differently.

“That’s what we’re trying to do – to create a bigger picture for them.”

Armidale had 130 incidents of domestic violence reported from April 2016 to March 2017, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.

Police respond to a number of incidents of domestic violence, and each circumstance is different to the next, Armidale police Inspector Gray said.

“It may be financial issues, it may be drug issues – there’s a whole heaps of underlying causes of domestic violence,” he said.

“Unfortunately we are called in when the bubble bursts and we’re usually the last people to know.

“That’s why we are trying to get in earlier and be proactive – so we can have people referred and minimise the behaviour.

“The results speak for themselves here as far as we’re concerned, I welcome it.”

The DVO, Krystal Nolan, has been operational in Armidale since January.