WESTERN AUSTRALIA

HOMICIDE AND RELATED OFFENCES

There were 64 victims of Homicide and related offences recorded in Western Australia in 2016, up from 48 victims in the previous year. Around two-thirds (67%) of these victims were male (43 victims) and 21 victims were female. (Tables 6 & 7)

Almost half (48%) of all Homicides recorded in Western Australia in 2016 were Murders (31 victims). The majority (71%) of Murders occurred at a residential location (22 victims). (Tables 6 & 8)


ASSAULT

In 2016, the number of Assault victims in Western Australia rose by 10% from 29,351 victims in 2015 to 32,252 victims to reach their highest levels since the beginning of the time series in 2010. The rise between 2015 and 2016 equates to an increase of 99 victims per 100,000 persons over the same period (from 1,133 victims in 2015 to 1,232 victims in 2016). (Table 6)

Three out of five victims of Assault were female (19,103 victims) which was the second highest representation of female victims of Assault across the selected states and territories. The highest proportion of female victims of Assault was recorded in the Northern Territory.
More than half (51%) of all Assault victims in Western Australia were aged between 25 and 44 years (16,568 victims). (Table 7)

Females comprised the majority of victims across most age groups, with the exception of those aged between 0 and 9 years and 55 years and over where males accounted for 61% (269 victims) and 53% (1,202 victims) of victims respectively. (Table 7)



Almost two-thirds (66%) of Assaults occurred at a residential location (21,238 victims), while one-fifth were experienced at a community location (6,981 victims).

The majority of Assaults (81%) did not involve the use of a weapon (26,236 victims). (Tables 8 & 9)


SEXUAL ASSAULT

The number of Sexual assault victims increased by 7% between 2015 and 2016, up from 2,012 to 2,157 victims). This continues the increase in the number of victims of these offences observed in Western Australia since 2011.

The victimisation rate rose from 78 victims of Sexual assault per 100,000 persons to 82 victims in 2016. (Table 6)

Three out of five (59%) Sexual assault victims were aged between 0 and 19 years of age (1,274 victims).

Females were six times more likely (1,838 victims) than males (301 victims) to have been a victim of Sexual assault in Western Australia in 2016. (Table 7)

The majority (71%) of Sexual assaults occurred at a residential location in 2016 (1,535 victims), a further 15% experienced victimisation at a community location (333 victims). (Table 8)


PROPERTY CRIME

The number of victims of property crime offences included in the scope of the collection declined in Western Australia during 2016.

The largest decrease occurred amongst victims of Other theft, down 5% or 4,268 victims since 2015. This contrasted with a 5% increase in the number of victims of Other theft offences which occurred nationally over the same period. (Tables 1 & 6)

Other thefts from a retail location and a dwelling both rose slightly (4% or 1,008 victims and 3% or 728 victims) in 2016. Thefts from all other location types, with the exception of an unspecified location, decreased in Western Australia over the same period. (Table 8)