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Wanganui police think "cabin fever" might have been a factor in a record number of callouts over the weekend to domestic incidents.
It was the city's worst weekend of domestic and family violence in a long time, said Sergeant Kevin Smith.
Urgent 111 calls had come in from neighbours, passers-by who heard the noise from houses and from children and the victims themselves, he told the Wanganui Chronicle.
Just about every call-out was for a domestic incident, he said.
"Domestic calls escalated over the weekend to the highest level it's been in a long time in Wanganui."
Mr Smith said he thought maybe the weather that had kept everyone shut indoors for days on end had stirred up some "cabin fever" and tempers.
Even though there were no serious incidents where someone had to be hospitalised, police had to remove several offenders and lock them up, he said.
It was really tough on the children and many have heard it all before.
"These kids know the signs and they know what it can lead to that's why they ring us because it always has the potential to be serious."
It was ironic that the worst weekend of domestic violence coincided with the start of the city's campaign "Living Without Violence".
Dealing with domestic situations was never easy for officers and was frustrating to deal with, he said.
- NZPA
