More than one in three assaults in Orange in the 12 months prior to September 2012 were alcohol related.
MORE than one in three assaults in Orange in the 12 months prior to September 2012 were alcohol related.
Figures obtained exclusively by the Central Western Daily from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research show there were 262 alcohol-related assaults in the timeframe.
The figure represents 39 per cent of assaults, including non-domestic violence related and domestic violence related.
Of the total 659 assaults, 46 of them occurred within a licensed premises.
Only one of those assaults within a licensed premises was domestic violence related, the rest involved people who were not related to each other and who did not live together.
According to the bureau, in 2011 the most common place for non-domestic violence-related assaults in Orange was in an outdoor, public place with 159 assaults. The home was the second most common place with 89 assaults, third was in a retail shop with 33 assaults and licensed premises was a close fourth with 32 assaults.
Domestic violence-related assaults were far higher with 228 occurring in the home.
The cases of non-domestic violence-related assaults in licensed premises in Orange rose by nearly 3 per cent from 2011 to September 2012.
In 2011 In Bathurst there was 47 non-domestic violence-related assaults in licensed premises, in Dubbo there was 43.
Assaults are more likely to occur in January with 42 non-domestic violence-related assaults occurring in 2011 and 37 occurring in 2012.
July is a quiet months for violence with 23 non-domestic violence-related assaults occurring in July 2012.
The latest available 2010 data from the bureau shows the most common area in Orange for alcohol-related assaults is Summer Street between Anson Street and William Street, and not in residential areas.
The second most common area is Anson Street, between Franklin Road and Moulder Street.
An assault where the people involved have had one drink or more is considered alcohol-related.
READ MORE:
Council's shout for a forum on alcohol issues