Women ready to fight back

Thursday 19th January 2006, 12:00AM GMT.

THE number of women assaulted in Jersey fell last year as increasing numbers enrolled in self-defence courses and were given attack alarms.

Police statistics show that in 2004 a total of 144 women were attacked – the majority by acquaintances.

Last year that number fell to 119.

Crime reduction officer Det con Bruce Liron said that the police gave out 1,500 attack alarms between October and December last year, and they plan to do the same again in the coming months.

He said that confidence was an essential part of helping to avoid attack.

‘Don’t look like a victim,’ he said.

In 2004 a total of 105 women were the victims of assault, 14 suffered grave and criminal assault, 18 were indecently assaulted, six were robbed and one was murdered.

Last year 97 women were assaulted, 13 suffered a grave and criminal assault, seven were indecently assaulted and two were raped.

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