NSW DV breaches 'over reported'

Breach rates for domestic violence orders in NSW are being significantly overblown, the state's Bureau of Crime and Statistics says.

The breach rate, often reported as one in two, is actually closer to one in five, bureau director Don Weatherburn says.

This is because journalists often divide the number of breaches by the number of orders issued, which makes the problem look much worse than it is.

"You can't count six breaches for one order as six orders breached," Dr Weatherburn told AAP on Thursday.