The number of people who sought help from a charity over abusive relationships has already surpassed the annual average, the agency’s leader said yesterday.

Laurie Shiell, the executive director at the Centre Against Abuse, explained that requests for assistance spiked in the first three months of 2019.

She said: “The year started off very fast.

“We noticed January was above average and February was above average — we were seeing 30 clients for the first two months and then 20 in the third.

“We’ve definitely seen a greater increase in clients this year than we’ve ever seen before and we believe it’s due to getting information out there about our services and the work we do.”

Ms Shiell added: “We think it’s a good thing that people are getting help.”

She said that numbers had returned to the more typical 12 to 15 clients a month, but the early uptick meant about 120 had been seen so far this year, compared with a yearly average of 100.

Ms Shiell said the figures did not suggest the sudden increase was connected to new relationships and that “many of them have been going on for some time”.

But she added: “I would say perhaps 90 per cent of the clientele has been first-time clients.”

Ms Shiell said the first quarter of the calendar year also brought more requests than usual from men, with one a month compared with about five annually.

She explained: “There are men that are looking to get help.

“Our services are not just for women, we do assist men who are survivors of abusive relationships whether it’s harassment, verbal abuse ... they need to get away from their partner that just won’t leave them alone.

“We are here to help set boundaries, to obtain that healthy relationship.”

Ms Shiell encouraged anyone struggling in an abusive relationship to seek help.

She said that clients who successfully escape their circumstances find “freedom, a new lease on life”.

Ms Shiell added: “If you know of someone that’s in a situation and you’re not sure what to do, give us a call.”

• The Centre Against Abuse can be reached on 292-4366 during office hours or via a 24-hour hotline at 297-8278