Gardaí appeal to young men to curb number of assaults

Gardaí are appealing to young men as part of an effort to tackle the rising number of assaults taking place in recent years.

A public awareness campaign titled “Use Your Brain Not Your Fists” targeted at males aged between 18 and 39 went live on Monday.

Garda statistics show that 83 per cent of offenders in assault cases are male and that 70 per cent of assaults are male on male. Incidents typically occur between the hours of 8pm and 5am at the weekend.

Assaults often take place in and around public places (street, roads, pubs and hotels). An Garda said statistics show a rise in assaults in last number of years in line with the recovery of the night-time economy.

In the Dublin Metropolitan Region, the number of assaults causing harm rose from 1,396 in 2012 to 1,707 in 2015, while minor assaults increased from 3,100 to 3,337 in the same period.

However, assaults nationally have shown a decline with minor assaults down 2 per cent and assaults causing harm down 4 per cent.

The awareness campaign launched on Monday seeks to inform young men about the consequences of assaulting other which can include losing their job, restricted travel to other countries and jail time.

An Garda said the campaign, which will run across social media, on-street, outdoor and in-pub advertising, will remind people of the potentially devastating physical and metal impacts suffered by the victims of assault.

Sergeant Kelvin Courtney, Garda Bureau of Community Engagement, urged young men to think about the impact of their actions on themselves and others, and advised people to be streetwise when they are out and about.

“Never attempt to reason with drunk or aggressive people. Walk away and look for help,” he said.

“Be streetwise when you’re out and about. Planning is key to having a good night out. Arrange transport to and from events in advance. Let someone know where you are going and when you’ll be back. Avoid walking alone and in dark places. Be wary of your surroundings and mind your property.”

He added: "Some victims of assaults, particularly men, are embarrassed to say they have been assaulted. I would encourage anybody, and in particular younger men, to report all assaults to An Garda Síochána. Anyone who has been assaulted will be treated with sensitivity by An Garda Síochána and it will be fully investigated."