Getting more domestic violence perpetrators up on charges is a good outcome for police but the delays caused in the justice system could cause unnecessary trauma.
Domestic violence charges are supercharging an eight per cent growth in court actions brought by NSW Police, statistics released on Wednesday by the state Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research indicate.
Legal actions against people accused of domestic violence rose nearly 10 per cent in 2025 compared to the year prior to represent more than a quarter of all court proceedings, the bureau said.
BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said this accounted for one-third of the overall growth in court proceedings in the state.
"The growing number of domestic violence charges reflects ... a higher likelihood of charges being laid when these matters come to police attention," Ms Fitzgerald said.
Stalking and harassment, breaching an apprehended domestic violence order and coercive control offences all reached record numbers in 2025.
The bureau's findings indicate the increase in court actions is not due to a rise in incidents, but rather "increased enforcement and proactive detection", Ms Fitzgerald said.
But more offenders ending up in court does not always translate to more just outcomes, with already stretched courtrooms struggling to deal with cases speedily.
Less than 90 per cent of criminal cases brought in the Local Court were completed within six months in 2024, the court's annual report shows.
Measures to reduce the backlog, including hiring new magistrates, have been implemented but many courts are still heavily weighed down under an avalanche of cases.
"More defendants in court means more pressure on judicial officers, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the legal assistance sector," Law Society of NSW president Ronan MacSweeney said.
"Delayed justice means victim-survivors of domestic and family violence suffer increased trauma and disruption.
"Defendants who are eventually acquitted bear an unfair burden, particularly those who have spent long periods in remand."
Mr MacSweeney said the society has consistently called for greater resourcing for the court system, particularly in rural and regional areas, to improve efficiency.
NSW Police and the state Department of Communities and Justice were contacted for comment.
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