Cork accounted for 9.2% of calls to the national crime victims helpline in 2024.

Calls to victim helpline increase by 15% nationally

Michael Olney

Published: Wed 13 Aug 2025, 12:48 PM

Last updated: Wed 13 Aug 2025, 12:57 PM

Cork had Ireland’s second highest contact rate for a helpline supporting victims of crime in 2024 according to a new report.

Last year, Cork accounted for 9.2% of all calls received by the national Crime Victims Helpline (CVH).

Dublin accounted for the most amount of contacts at 39%, significantly above its 28.3% share of the national population.

After Cork were Galway (5%), Limerick (4%), and Kildare (3.5%).

Overall, the CVH reported a 15% increase in incoming calls across Ireland in 2024 and noted a rise in the number of contacts relating to theft and burglary. Contacts in relation to theft-related incidents rose by 66% (133 contacts in 2024 compared to 80 in 2023) and burglary related contacts rose by 46% (115 in 2024 compared with 79 in 2023).

CVH also made over 3,500 referrals in 2024 to a large variety of different organisations, supports, and resources. As with previous years, the vast majority of referrals were made to the gardaí and Garda Victim Service Offices.

The report also found that there was a decline in contacts related to ‘sextortion’ in 2024 following a large increase in 2023, which the CVH said may signal a shift in crime patterns or public engagement in Ireland on these issues. Contacts in relation to assault and harassment or stalking continued to be the main types of crime that contact was made about in 2024, while an increase was recorded in the number of people contacting CVH regarding hate motivated crimes, most notably racist hate crimes.

Speaking about this year’s report, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan TD, said: “I commend the dedicated staff and volunteers of CVH who offer not only emotional support but also important information on the justice system and victims’ rights. Their role in facilitating referrals to gardaí, victim services, and other supports is essential.”

Staff and volunteers of the CVH also provide an interpreter service from Monday to Friday, thanks to help provided by global company, LanguageLine, as well as the many volunteers already working within the CVH who can provide services in multiple languages.

The entire 2024 annual report can be viewed on crimevictimshelpline.ie/annual-reports.

To contact the CVH, freephone 116006 or text 085-1337711.