A new Liquor and Gaming NSW report has found the rates of alcohol-related offences within Griffith's council boundaries have exceeded the average for regional areas in the past 12 months.
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A counsellor who works in alcohol abuse recovery fears the rates could rise further as economic pressures from the coronavirus pandemic pandemic put more stress on vulnerable people.
Murrumbidgee Police District Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Eugene Stek, declined to comment on the figures themselves but said police were "always working" with the community on violence issues.
"We have a fortnightly domestic violence community meeting, where we meet with all our partner agencies to discuss individual cases," he said.
"That's always been happening and will continue to happen and has been very successful."
The rate of alcohol-related domestic violence incidents in Griffith per 100,000 people had been below the average for outer regional areas for two years between March 2017 and March 2019.
However, in the 12 months to March 2020, Griffith's rate rose above the average to 264 incidents per 100,000 residents.
The alcohol offences report covers a time period that included only a few early weeks of the pandemic lockdowns that saw many businesses temporarily close or restrict their trading.
A Griffith Alcoholics Anonymous group member, who asked not to be named, said stress and job loss could trigger dangerous levels of drinking in some people.
"Alcoholism is a disease; not everyone who drinks and has a problem is an alcoholic but it is a disease and if someone has it, it will get worse over time especially if there is pressure," he said.
"When I was drinking, it was like a compulsion to keep drinking and if there is something you are not handling very well, then things can get out of hand."
The Alcoholics Anonymous member said it was likely more people would seek help as the pandemic persisted.
"It's like Christmas: we don't see many before Christmas but we usually see quite a few after," the Alcoholics Anonymous member said.
"They are out looking for help after the event, and that could happen in the next little while."
Alcohol-related assaults had been on a sharp decline in previous years, and nearly dropped below the average for NSW as a whole in March last year, before rising again over the past 12 months.
Alcohol-related offensive conduct incidents rose steadily over two years and the rate in Griffith is now almost double the regional average.
The Australian Hotels Association was contacted for comment but did not respond prior to publication.
The report found Griffith had fewer licenced venues per resident than the average regional area.