4530.0 - Crime Victimisation, Australia, 2017-18

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 13/02/2019

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Key findings In this issue + Who experienced personal and household crimes + State and territory spotlights + Change in rates of crime over time Crime rates lower than a decade ago (Media Release) + Home Security Measures History of Changes About this Release	KEY FINDINGS This release presents results from the 2017–18 national Crime Victimisation Survey, which is the tenth in the annual series. PERSONAL CRIME Victimisation rate During the 2017–18 reference period, approximately 5.0% (966,600) of Australians aged 15 years and over experienced a selected personal crime. This includes an estimated: 2.4% (472,500) who experienced physical assault 2.6% (500,600) who experienced face-to-face threatened assault 0.8% (157,900) who experienced non face-to-face threatened assault 0.3% (50,700) who experienced robbery. Approximately 0.3% (50,200) of Australians aged 18 years and over experienced sexual assault. VICTIMISATION RATES, Selected personal crimes, Australia, 2017–18 *Footnote(s):* (a) Experience of sexual assault was collected for persons aged 18 years and over only. Australian Bureau of Statistics © Commonwealth of Australia 2019. The results from the 2017–18 survey were similar to those from the 2016–17 survey, with no significant change in the victimisation rates for personal crime. Reporting to police Reporting rates varied for the selected personal crimes. During the 2017–18 reference period, an estimated: 52% of persons who experienced physical assault had the most recent incident reported to police 38% persons who experienced face-to-face threatened assault had the most recent incident reported to police 27% of persons who experienced non face-to-face threatened assault had the most recent incident reported to police 58% of persons who experienced robbery had the most recent incident reported to police. REPORTING RATES(a), Selected personal crimes, Australia, 2017–18 *Footnote(s):* (a) The incident may have been reported by the respondent or another person. (b) Experience of sexual assault was collected for persons aged 18 years and over only. (c) Estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution. Australian Bureau of Statistics © Commonwealth of Australia 2019. The results from the 2017–18 survey were similar to those from the 2016–17 survey, with no significant change in the reporting rates for personal crime. Key characteristics of the most recent incident Physical assault A similar proportion of men (2.4% or 226,700) and women (2.5% or 244,900) experienced physical assault during the reference period. In the most recent incident of physical assault experienced by women: the perpetrator was most commonly a male (71%) the perpetrator was more commonly someone known to the woman (73%) than a stranger (27%) the location was most frequently the woman's home (46%). In the most recent incident of physical assault experienced by men: the perpetrator was most commonly a male (84%) the perpetrator was a stranger in more than half of incidents (56%) common locations where the incident occurred included work (24%) and in the man’s home (21%). Of those persons aged 18 years and over who experienced physical assault, 55% believed that alcohol or any other substance contributed to their most recent incident. Face-to-face threatened assault Men (3.0% or 285,000) were more likely than women (2.1% or 212,300) to experience face-to-face threatened assault during the reference period. In the most recent incident of face-to-face threatened assault experienced by women: the perpetrator was most commonly a male (65%) the perpetrator was more commonly a known person (67%) than a stranger (33%) the incident commonly occurred at the woman’s home (37%). In the most recent incident of face-to-face threatened assault experienced by men: the perpetrator was most commonly a male (90%) the perpetrator was more commonly a stranger (57%) than a known person (44%) frequent locations where the incident occurred included work (28%), man’s home (19%) and in the street or open land (19%). Of those persons aged 18 years and over who experienced face-to-face threatened assault, 49% believed that alcohol or any other substance contributed to their most recent incident. HOUSEHOLD CRIME Victimisation Rate During the 2017–18 reference period an estimated 11% (1.1 million) of Australian households experienced a selected household crime. This includes an estimated: 2.5% of households (231,100) which experienced a break-in 2.2% of households (205,400) which experienced an attempted break-in 0.6% of households (54,500) which experienced a motor vehicle theft 3.1% of households (287,200) which experienced a theft from a motor vehicle 5.1% of households (477,700) which experienced malicious property damage 2.5% of households (236,500) which experienced other theft. VICTIMISATION RATES, Selected household crimes, Australia, 2017–18 Australian Bureau of Statistics © Commonwealth of Australia 2019. The results from the 2017–18 survey were similar to those from the 2016–17 survey, with the only significant change in the national victimisation rate for other theft, which fell from 2.8% in 2016–17 to 2.5% in 2017–18. Reporting to police Reporting rates varied for the selected household crimes. During the 2017–18 reference period, an estimated: 72% of households which experienced a break-in had the most recent incident reported to police 39% of households which experienced an attempted break-in had the most recent incident reported to police 95% of households which experienced a motor vehicle theft had the most recent incident reported to police 54% of households that experienced a theft from a motor vehicle had the most recent incident reported to police 52% of households which experienced a malicious property damage had the most recent incident reported to police 35% of households which experienced other theft had the most recent incident reported to police. REPORTING RATES(a), Selected household crimes, Australia, 2017–18 *Footnote(s):* (a) The incident may have been reported by any member of the household or another person. Australian Bureau of Statistics © Commonwealth of Australia 2019. The results from the 2017–18 survey were similar to those from the 2016–17 survey, with no significant change in the reporting rates for household crime. HOW HAVE CRIME VICTIMISATION RATES CHANGED OVER TIME? Personal crime Between 2008–09 and 2017–18 the national victimisation rate decreased for: total assault – 6.3% to 4.8% physical assault – 3.1% to 2.4% total threatened assault – 4.2% to 2.8% face-to-face threatened assault – 3.9% to 2.6% non face-to-face threatened assault – 1.2% to 0.8% robbery – 0.6% to 0.3%. The victimisation rate for sexual assault remained steady at 0.3% between 2008–09 and 2017–18. Household crime Between 2008–09 and 2017–18, the national victimisation rate decreased for all selected household crimes, including: break-in – 3.3% to 2.5% attempted break-in – 3.1% to 2.2% motor vehicle theft – 1.1% to 0.6% theft from a motor vehicle – 4.5% to 3.1% malicious property damage – 11.1% to 5.1% other theft – 4.4% to 2.5%. 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