Calls to crime victims helpline surge 12%

Telephone calls and other contacts made with the National Crime Victims Helpline rose 12% last year.

The helpline’s 2011 ann-ual report shows that 36% of all calls made were about an assault, up from 23% in 2010. There was also an increase in the number of calls about sexual violence — from 12% in 2010 to 17% last year.

Most of the other calls (14%) were about prop-erty-related crime, such as robbery and burglary.