Sydney, Jul 31 (IANS): A new registry has been established by the police force of New South Wales (NSW) to drive targeted prevention, disruption and investigation responses to domestic and family violence in the Australian state.

The Domestic and Family Violence Registry is staffed by officers with expertise in domestic and family violence issues with 24-hour capability to provide advice, guidance, and response to domestic and family violence incidents, Xinhua news agency quuted NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb as saying in an announcement.

"Domestic and family violence is one of today's most challenging and complex community issues; it feels like an epidemic. It is time for that to change," said Webb.

The registry is the first specialist policing team targeting such issues set up in Australia, according to a NSW Police statement.

The NSW Police Force attended 182,121 domestic violence-related matters in 2022 and the number continues to rise, according to a report of Review of NSW Police Force Responses to Domestic and Family Violence Incidents, issued by the NSW Law Enforcement Conduct Commission in June.

The NSW Police Force estimates that domestic and family violence accounts for up to 40 per cent of all police work in the state.