Robbery, burglary and theft are still the most common crimes for which people contact the National Crime Victims Helpline.
More victims seek help with these offences (23 per cent) than any other, the helpline ’s annual report for 2013 shows.
Assault makes up 22 per cent of complaints, followed by childhood sex abuse at 19 per cent and harassment at 14 per cent.
Almost twice as many females as males contacted the helpline for assistance, while Dublin was the location for 45 per cent of all contacts, followed by Cork on 7 per cent and Wicklow on 6 per cent.
In all, there were over 5,000 contacts with victims of crime and those impacted by crime in 2013. There were 4,600 phone calls and over 400 contacts made over email and text, a 10 per cent increase from 2012.
"It's hard to tell why harassment is so prominent in calls to our helpline, but it may be due to the housing situation," said co-ordinator Michele Puckhaber.
“Neighbourhood harassment could be due to the fact that people have been less free to move—we see a really wide range of harassment in our calls. Social media has become a real venue for harassment—but in estates it’s mainly problems with groups of teenagers,” Ms Puckhaber said.
The Crime Victims Helpline, established in 2005, is a confidential national helplineservice providing information and support to victims of crime and people affected by crime. It is funded by the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime as well as by individual donations. Volunteers are trained to understand the effects of crime and provide emotional support to people trying to cope after being victimised.
Helpline volunteers are also trained in garda and court procedures and provide information to callers who are attempting to navigate the criminal justice system.
The helpline also serves as a gateway for victims to specialised services available to crime victims in Ireland and can liaise with these services, as well as with gardaí, on behalf of victims.