MORE women in a Scots council area are suffering domestic abuse but fewer are seeking help, according to a new report.

Since 2008, the rates of domestic abuse in Inverclyde have increased by nearly 10%, with 900 people reporting domestic abuse incidents last year alone.

The trend mirrors that in Glasgow, where rates have also increased in the last five years, with some experts putting this down to better police detection and reporting of incidents by victims.

The number of sexual ­assaults in Inverclyde have also nearly doubled in the last five years with a rise of 94.1%.

Despite the increase in cases, the area's Women's Aid group are seeing fewer women get in touch via their domestic abuse and outreach services.

The outreach service can be offered to women at home, if they are unable or do not want to attend any other of the services available.

Fewer people are also ­using day counselling on offer in the area, which covers Greenock, Gourock and Port Glasgow, and instead are choosing to report incidents by phone and use one-to-one sessions to get help.

Women's Aid put the decreasing numbers down to "diminishing funding" and the fact they are giving more complex help to women as a result of other issues, ­including welfare reform.

A women's aid spokeswoman said: "The results of our 2013 census showed that Women's Aid groups are now providing much more complex support and advice, for a variety of reasons including welfare reform, housing and legal issues.

"The majority of women who accessed our groups' services on the survey day received practical support with housing, safety planning, finances, and access to legal protection.

"This, in the context of diminishing funding, can impact on the numbers of women our groups have the capacity to support."

An Inverclyde council spokesman said: "Every case of domestic abuse is a tragedy that draws in whole families so it is important we have support for the victims but also make efforts to rehabilitate the offenders."

hannah.rodger@eveningtimes.co.uk