Today, the new Crime Statistics Agency released its first quarterly report.
The overall number of recorded offences increased 4.3 per cent in 2014 with 18,000 additional offences recorded compared to 2013. Once population growth is taken into account, the recorded crime rate is up 2.5% per 100,000 people and up 12.8 per cent since 2010.
The figures show that police recorded over 68,000 family violence incidents in 2014, an increase of 8.2 per cent from 2013. The overall rate of recorded family violence incidents has increased 70.2 per cent since 2010.
The number of drug offences increased 12.9 per cent in 2014, with drug use and possession making up three quarters of these offences.
In 2014, family incidents also featured in the following offences:
- A third of sexual assault and related offences (3282 of 9806 offences)
- Almost half of assault and related offences (17,544 of 37,639 offences)
- More than half of stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour offences (5310 of 10,573 offences)
In its first 100 days, the Andrews Labor Government responded to both these emergencies by establishing a Royal Commission into Family Violence and releasing the $45 million Ice Action Plan.
Between 2013 and 2014, the major offence categories that showed a significant upward trend included:
- Sexual assault and related offences are up 9.5 per cent, from 9806 to 10,738 (7.5 per cent per 100,000 people)
- Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour are up 10.8 per cent, from 10,573 to 11,719 (8.8 per cent per 100,000 people)
- Breaches of orders are up 56.9 per cent, from 29,497 to 46,295 (54.1 per cent 100,000 people).
Robbery was the only offence to reduce significantly, down 11.1 per cent, from 2723 to 2421(12.7 per cent per 100,000 people).
The release is the first publication from the new Crime Statistics Agency, which assumed the role of reporting crime statistics from Victoria Police on 1 January this year.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Police, Wade Noonan
“In 2014, police attended a family violence incident every eight minutes. These figures once again show that family violence is the biggest law and order challenge facing Victoria.”
“We welcome the fact that more people are coming forward and reporting family violence to police, however this is revealing the true scale of the family violence emergency that our community faces.”
“The scourge of ice continues to ruin lives and communities. The Ice Action Plan is a landmark, $45.5 million effort to reduce the supply, demand and harm of ice.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020