DETECTIVES have solved almost three-quarters of domestic abuse crimes which took place this summer in the Strathclyde area, the Evening Times can today reveal.

The culprits behind almost 73% of domestic abuse incidents across the force area have been identified, according to official figures.

The staggering figure is based on incidents between April 1 and October 31 of this year.

Police are currently 0.7% above their target detection rate, according to fresh statistics for the first half of the financial year.

The latest success was revealed as police today launched a dedicated campaign to tackle the issue of domestic abuse.

Strathclyde Police is leading the way in the attempts to curb violence in the home.

An elite team of CID officers was launched three years ago to form the Domestic Abuse Taskforce.

Police work with the help of agencies, including Women's Aid and the Glasgow-based Advocacy, Support, Services, Information Together (ASSIST).

Chief Superintendent Bob Hamilton, said: "We believe our pro- active, preventative measures are having a positive impact, reducing the number of victims.

"We continue to challenge offending behaviour while, at the same time, work with victims to increase their safety.

"We are now placing a much greater emphasis on challenging the perpetrators of this crime.

"We are focusing our efforts towards targeting repeat offenders and serial offenders."

As revealed by the Evening Times in August, the number of domestic abuse crimes in the Strathclyde Police area has rocketed 56% in five years.

Figures show in 2011/12, some 23,395 domestic abuse crimes were recorded.

They included three murders, 11 attempted murders, 59 rapes and 862 indecent assaults.

In 2006/07 the total recorded was 14,958.

Although this increase appears shocking, the force believes this is a step in the right direction – because more people were prepared to report incidents.

Between 2011/12, the Strathclyde Police area with the highest recorded number of domestic abuse crimes was North East Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire, with 3896 offences.

rebecca.gray@ heraldandtimes.co.uk