VICTORIA

HOMICIDE AND RELATED OFFENCES

There were 145 victims of Homicide and related offences recorded in Victoria during 2017, an increase of 29 victims from the previous year. (Table 6)

Around two-thirds (67%) of victims of Homicide were male (97 victims) and 46 were female. Over a third (41%) of all victims of this offence were aged between 35 and 54 years (60 victims). (Table 7)

Two out of five (45%) of all recorded Homicides occurred at a residential location, and over a fifth (21%) involved the use of a firearm. (Tables 8 and 9)

Between 2016 and 2017, the number of victims of Attempted murder and Manslaughter increased, by 21 and 12 victims respectively. Over the same reference period the number of victims of Murder decreased by 4 victims. (Table 6)

The majority (58%) of Murder victims knew the offender (34 victims), and a third (32%) of these victims (19 victims) were murdered by a known non-family member. Non-family member includes a variety of relationships such as ex-partners, foster parents, teachers, acquaintances, colleagues, friends, etc. (Table 11)


SEXUAL ASSAULT

The number of victims of Sexual assault recorded in Victoria increased for the fourth consecutive year to reach 6,024 victims in 2017. This represented an increase of 7 victims of Sexual assault per 100,000 persons (from 88 victims in 2016, to 95 victims per 100,000 persons in 2017). This was the third largest increase in victimisation rate for this offence across jurisdictions behind New South Wales (up 12 victims per 100,000 persons) and the Northern Territory (up 9 victims per 100,000 persons). (Table 6)

Victoria and Queensland had the equal second highest male victimisation rate for Sexual assault across all jurisdictions, with 33 victims per 100,000 persons. New South Wales had the highest with 49 victims per 100,000 males.

In Victoria there were nearly five times more female victims (4,948 victims) than male (1,044 victims) victims of Sexual assault in 2017. The female victimisation rate for this offence was 155 victims per 100,000 persons. Females accounted for a higher proportion of victims across all age groups than males in Victoria, notably for victims aged between 15 and 19 years with 90% or 1,210 female victims. (Table 7)

The majority (72%) of Sexual assault victims knew the offender (4,351 victims), and six out of ten (61%) of these victims identified the offender as a non-family member (2,649 victims). Non-family member includes a variety of relationships such as ex-partners, foster parents, teachers, acquaintances, colleagues, friends, etc. (Table 11)


ROBBERY

The number of victims of Robbery recorded in Victoria increased to their highest levels since 2011, with 3,127 victims in 2017.

Between 2016 and 2017 the number of victims of Unarmed robbery increased by 16% (or 171 victims) while victims of Armed robbery decreased by 2% or 38 victims. Despite this decrease, the majority (60%) of victims in 2017 were victims of Armed robbery (1,885 victims), which was the second highest proportion of Armed robbery across all jurisdictions behind Tasmania (with 71% or 62 victims). (Table 6)

Over a third (36%) of Armed robberies occurred at a street/footpath location (673 victims), which was the highest proportion for this location across all jurisdictions in 2017. A further 31% occurred at a retail location (590 victims). (Table 8)

Males were almost four times more likely to be a victim of Robbery in Victoria with a victimisation rate of 71 victims per 100,000 males compared to 18 victims per 100,000 females. Male victims aged between 25 and 34 years accounted for the highest proportion of male victims (24% or 537 victims), followed by males aged between 15 and 19 years (22% or 485 victims). (Table 7)


MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

The number of victims of Motor vehicle theft in Victoria decreased by 22% (or 4,189 victims) to 14,803 victims in 2017. This was the first decrease for this offence in Victoria since 2013, and was the largest decrease for this offence across all jurisdictions. (Table 6)


Motor vehicle theft from a street/footpath or a transport location decreased by 1,941 victims and 395 victims, respectively) since 2016.

In 2017, almost half (48%) of Motor vehicles were stolen from a residential location (7,143 victims), while a further 37% were stolen from a community location (including educational, health or religious locations) (5,507 victims). (Table 8 and historical data)


UNLAWFUL ENTRY WITH INTENT

In 2017 there were 44,413 victims of Unlawful entry with intent recorded in Victoria. This represented a decrease of 16% from 2016 (8,266 victims), and was the largest decrease for this offence across all jurisdictions.

In 2017 there were 30,160 victims with property stolen which was 6,037 fewer victims compared with the previous year. This was the lowest number of victims since the beginning of the time series in 2010. (Table 6)

For three out of five (68%) victims of Unlawful entry with intent, the offence occurred at a residential location (30,385), while a further 14% occurred at a retail location (6,037). (Table 8)


OTHER THEFT

The number of victims of Other theft in Victoria decreased by 15% (or 21,614 victims) between 2016 and 2017. Other theft includes the unauthorised taking or use of goods and services from a person, premises or motor vehicle.

This was the first decrease recorded for this offence in four years and the largest decrease for this offence across all jurisdictions between 2016 and 2017. (Table 6)

In 2017 a third (30%) of Other theft occurred at a retail location (34,963 victims), followed by an outbuilding/residential land (24% or 28,875 victims). (Table 8)