NEW SOUTH WALES

HOMICIDE AND RELATED OFFENCES

The number of victims of Homicide and related offences in New South Wales decreased for the third consecutive year, down by 3%, from 101 victims in 2015 to 98 victims. (Table 6)

The majority (67%) of Homicide victims were male (66 victims), 38% of these male victims were aged between 35 and 54 years. Of the 32 female victims of Homicide recorded in 2016, over a third (38%) were aged between 20 and 34 years. (Table 7)

Murder comprised 65% of all Homicides recorded in New South Wales during 2016 (64 victims) and were most likely to have occurred at a residential location (64%, or 41 victims). A knife was the most common weapon used by the offender(s) (19 victims). (Tables 6, 8 & 9)


ASSAULT

In 2016, there were 65,260 victims of Assault recorded in New South Wales, an increase of less than 1% on the previous year (up 120 victims). This equated to a decrease of one victim of Assault per 100,000 persons between 2015 and 2016. (Table 6)

A quarter of Assault victims were aged between 25 and 34 years (25%, or 16,037 victims), whilst a further 19% were aged 35 to 44 (12,627 victims). Males comprised just over half (53%) the total number of Assault victims recorded in New South Wales in 2016 (34,672 victims). (Table 7)

More than half (55%) of all Assault victims experienced victimisation at a residential location (35,566 victims), while around 17% of Assaults occurred on a street or footpath (10,780 victims). Over two-thirds of victims (68%) knew their offender (44,440 victims). (Table 8 & 11)
Of the six states and territories for which Assault data were available, New South Wales had the lowest proportion of weapon use (5% or 3,254 victims). The most common weapon used in an Assault was a knife (43% of assaults involving a weapon or 1,406 victims). (Table 9)


SEXUAL ASSAULT

In 2016, the number of victims of Sexual assault in New South Wales increased by 2%, from 8,603 victims in 2015 to 8,795 victims to reach their highest levels over the seven year time series. (Table 6)

One in five Sexual assault victims were male (20%), which was the highest proportion of male victims across the states and territories (1,786 victims). (Table 7)

There were 6,990 female victims of Sexual assault recorded in New South Wales in 2016. More than a quarter of these victims were aged between 15 and 19 years (26% or 1,845 victims). The most common age for male victims of Sexual assault was between 0 and 9 years (29% or 524 victims). (Tables 6 & 7)

Over three-quarters of Sexual assault victims knew their offender (76%, or 6, 693 victims), with non-family member the most commonly recorded (3,933 victims). (Table 11)

The majority (64%) of Sexual assaults occurred at a residential location (5,658 victims). Less than 1% involved the use of a weapon (38 victims). (Tables 8 & 9)


ROBBERY

The number of Robbery victims in New South Wales decreased for the sixth consecutive year, down 328 victims (11%). From the beginning of the time-series in 2010 to 2016 the number of victims has decreased by 60% or 3,967 victims. (Table 6)



In the majority of Robberies (59%) the offender(s) was not armed (1,531 victims). Amongst those that did involve the use of a weapon (1,068 victims), a knife was the most common (669 victims). (Table 9)

In 2016, nearly two-thirds of Robberies occurred in either a street/footpath (40% or 1,028 victims) or a Retail location (24% or 626 victims). (Table 8)


PROPERTY CRIME

In 2016, there were 12,013 victims of Motor vehicle theft recorded in New South Wales, down 8% from 13,032 victims in 2015. This was the largest decrease in the number of victims of these offences across the states and territories. It was also the lowest number of victims of Motor vehicle thefts recorded in New South Wales since the commencement of the time series in 2010. (Table 6)

An outbuilding or residential land (including a driveway, carport or garage) was the most common location from which a motor vehicle was taken (47% or 5,628 victims). (Table 8)

In 2016, the number of victims of Unlawful entry with intent decreased for the sixth consecutive year, down 5%. From the beginning of the time-series in 2010 to 2016, victims have decreased by almost a third (31% or 18,515 victims). Almost three-quarters (74%) of break- ins occurred at a residential location (30,611 victims). (Tables 6 & 8)

In 2016, there were 135,728 victims of Other theft recorded in New South Wales, increasing by less than 1% since 2015. This was the second highest number of victims of Other theft recorded across the states and territories, the highest was in Victoria. (Table 6)