Domestic violence on the rise, according to latest Victoria Police statistics FAMILY violence continues to dominate crime statistics, a trend senior police warn will take years to change. Recorded offences of family violence climbed 30 per cent to 19,664 over the 12 months to March. Deputy Commissioner Lucinda Nolan said family violence-related offences continued to drive up overall crime, which climbed 5.6 per cent - up 21,347 offences to 403,618 offences. "The key driver remains family violence," she said. "We've seen family violence pushing up our stats for the past couple of years now, and we don't expect that to abate, probably for the next two years," Ms Nolan said. Violent crime against Victorians skyrocketed over the 12-month period. Recorded offences against the person increased by 9.2 per cent to 265,055. Reported assaults climbed 13.8 per cent to 45,971. Assaults, excluding family violence, were up 4.1 per cent to 26,307 offences. The disturbing figures were revealed in Victoria Police's quarterly crime statistics. Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service CEO Annette Gillespie said she was not surprised by the family violence figures. "Our crisis service is run off its feet trying to help women and their children who are experiencing violence and abuse at the hands of their boyfriends, husbands or ex-partners," Ms Gillespie said. Last financial year we answered 50,834 calls to our crisis line, up by 30 per cent on the previous year. While recorded drug offences soared 14.6 per cent over the period, robberies dropped 12.8 per cent to 2969 recorded offences. Reported crime against property offences rose 1.3 per cent to 265,055; home burglaries were up 2.9 per cent. Recorded thefts from vehicles dropped 2.8 per cent to 44,427; thefts of motor vehicles climbed 4.3 per cent to 15,592. Other crimes, which included weapons and explosives offences and public misbehaviour, increased by 20.8 per cent to 60,199 recorded offences. Opposition police spokeswoman Jacinta Allan said the crime statistics proved the Government's $100 million budget cuts to Victoria Police were having an impact on the force's ability to tackle crime.