In 1990, 1,500 incidents of domestic violence were recorded in the North. Last year the RUC responded to 15,500 domestic incidents, half of which involved violence.
Not necessarily a cause for concern, according to the head of the RUC's domestic violence unit, Chief Insp Gary White, who insists it is not the number of incidents that has increased, but people's preparedness to come forward, as well as police efficiency in recording them.
"We are not comparing like with like. Ten years ago domestic violence incidents were both inadvertently and deliberately hidden in the figures as common assaults. Unfortunately, however, we know that there are at least three times more incidents taking place than are getting reported even now.
"According to our statistics, a woman has to be assaulted 35 times before she comes forward. That is horrendous and leaves us with an awful amount of awareness-raising work to do."
Chief Insp White's domestic violence squad was set up in September 1997 and includes 38 domestic violence officers (DVOs) - 13 male and 25 female - one in every police subdivision in the North.
The officers are normally not actively involved in the investigation of a domestic incident, but provide support and backup for both the victim and their colleagues dealing with the offence and encourage the victim to pursue a prosecution.
"Their job description is to persuade people to prosecute. I believe unless people get prosecuted for this behaviour, society will not take it seriously," Chief Insp White said.
"I am, however, against the practice of forcing a victim to go to court, irrespective of her wishes, unless her life is in danger and she can't protect herself. But mainly it is persuasion, making her realise that the chocolates and the flowers do not mean that he is not going to do it again."
Prof Monica McWilliams, of the Women's Coalition, who is a leading academic in the field of domestic violence, feels the officers' work has been extremely important in raising public awareness.
"Until recently most of the RUC's time and resources have been taken up with policing the Troubles, as has the media's attention," she said.
"There was almost a hierarchy from the most reprehensible murders, those of women killed in the conflict, to the least reprehensible - so-called `ordinary decent murders', which would have included those resulting from domestic violence.
"Luckily, a lot of training has gone on to change this mindset within the police and equip officers to deal seriously with domestic incidents and their aftercare."
The head of the Northern Ireland Women's Aid Federation, Ms Angela Courtney, agrees. "Years ago, annual police reports used to have a chapter on lost dogs, but not a single reference to domestic violence," she said.
"The domestic violence officers are a progressive step and a useful link. My concern would be that they may not be here to stay if, following the implementation of Patten, serious cutbacks in resources take place."
Chief Insp White believes one of the most important changes necessary to deal with domestic incidents more effectively is an attitude change by police officers. "We are guilty, time and time again, of not looking at the full picture" he said.
"Police officers like the kind of battered woman who stands there with her apron on, sobbing quietly, being very compliant with everything they want - photographs, medical examinations, making statements etc. We don't like the ones that are drunk, the ones that shout verbal abuse at us, the ones who tell us to f . . . off when we want her to make statement.
"What we need to ask ourselves is: why is she acting that way? She is acting that way because she is living in fear, because he is beating her black and blue every night, for six months, six years, 16 years, and nobody has helped her."
Ms Liz Brogan, a volunteer in Women's Aid's north Belfast refuge, insists she never judges women who return to their abusive husbands.
"The important thing is that she knows that the door is always open for when she needs us the next time. Nobody is angry with her here." Chief Insp White does not believe the end of political conflict has significantly contributed to the North's domestic violence problem.
"I think it is a myth that, post-ceasefire, there were suddenly a lot of violent people who needed an outlet and turned on those at home. I think if people are prone to use violence, if that's the type of individual that you are, then you are going to engage in violence both at home and outside, whether there is a political conflict or not."
He is aware that in nationalist areas women are still very reluctant to co-operate with the RUC, but says there is an increasing acceptance of the domestic violence unit even in areas where paramilitary-style "policing" is the norm.
"People get beaten and shot by the paramilitaries for so-called anti-social behaviour. I don't know how those people engaged in such acts of thuggery define anti-social behaviour, but domestic violence doesn't really seem to figure high on their list of priorities."
His conclusion is also reflected in research by Prof McWilliams. "Paramilitaries are normally quite reluctant to get involved in domestic situations, unless they want the man for some other reason.
"And women know that either they are risking their husband getting seriously hurt or even killed in a punishment attack or they are exchanging one dominant man for others who could later force her to hide weapons or demand sexual favours."
Chief Insp White insists that domestic violence in the upper echelons of society throws up a different set of problems.
"Proportionally, we might get more calls from working-class areas, but that is because in better social settings domestic violence can be hidden by money. Maybe the family have a summer-house on the coast she can escape to or friends can put her up in one of their spare bedrooms.
"On the other hand, she is often the one with the serious credibility problem. If your husband is covered in tattoos, spends most of his time in the pub, gets involved in street violence etc - if somebody then says he hits his wife, is anybody going to be surprised at that?
"But if your husband is the captain of the local golf club and an elder in the church and a schoolteacher, as far as everybody at the other side of the curtain is concerned that is a fine, upstanding citizen. A woman like that often faces serious disbelief."