Recorded Crime - Victims

In 2023, there were 409 victims of homicide and related offences recorded by police in Australia. This was an increase of 5% (20 victims) from 2022.

The victimisation rate remained stable at 2 victims per 100,000 persons.

Victims of homicide and related offences were most commonly:

• male (65% or 266 victims)
• between 35 and 44 years of age (21% or 85 victims)

Over half of homicide and related offences:

• occurred at a residential location (56% or 229 victims)
• involved the use of a weapon (54% or 219 victims), with almost a quarter (24%) involving a knife (98 victims)

Nearly two in five (38%) of homicide and related offences were family and domestic violence (FDV) related (157 victims).

There were 36,318 victims of sexual assault recorded in Australia in 2023, increasing by 11% (3,547 victims) from the previous year. The victimisation rate also increased from 126 to 136 victims per 100,000 persons, the highest rate recorded in the time series.

For almost all states and territories, victims of sexual assault increased, with the largest increases in:

• New South Wales (up 2,296 victims or 19%)
• Queensland (up 1,011 victims or 14%)

For victims of sexual assault:

• most were female (84% or 30,466 victims)
• more than a third (38%) were aged between 10 and 17 years when the incident was reported (13,667 victims)
• around two in five (41%) were aged between 10 and 17 years at the date of incident

Most sexual assaults:

• did not involve the use of a weapon (94% or 34,139 victims)
• occurred in a residential location (69% or 25,103 victims)
• were reported within a year (69% or 24,953 victims)

Around two in five (39%) sexual assaults were FDV related (14,059 victims).

There were 501 victims of kidnapping/abduction recorded in Australia in 2023, a decrease of 6 victims from the previous year. The victimisation rate for kidnapping/abduction remained stable at 2 victims per 100,000 persons.

Victims of kidnapping/abduction were most commonly:

• taken from a residential location (59% or 297 victims)
• female (53% or 266 victims)
• aged between 25 and 34 years (27% or 134 victims)

Around three in four (74%) kidnapping/abductions did not involve the use of a weapon (368 victims).

More than a third (34%) of kidnapping/abductions were FDV related (169 victims).

There were 3,380 victims of blackmail/extortion recorded in Australia in 2023, an increase of 56% (1,217 victims) from the previous year.

For almost all states and territories, the number of victims of blackmail/extortion increased, with the largest increases in:

• New South Wales (up 1,029 victims or 122%)
• Western Australia (up 137 victims or 64%)

The majority (87%) of person victims of blackmail/extortion were male (2,896 victims).

The most common ages of person victims at the date of report were:

• between 18 and 24 years (39% or 1,295 victims)
• under 18 years (30% or 1,006 victims)

In 2023, the number of victims of unlawful entry with intent increased by 6% (9,649 victims) to 160,885 victims. However, the number of victims of unlawful entry with intent remained lower than 2019 (173,347 victims), prior to when COVID-19 restrictions were put in place.

There were increases in victims of unlawful entry with intent in most states and territories, with the largest increases in:

• Victoria (up 5,778 victims or 19%)
• New South Wales (up 3,040 victims or 10%)
• Queensland (up 2,213 victims or 5%)

There were decreases in:

• Western Australia (down 3,224 victims or 15%)
• the Australian Capital Territory (down 45 victims or 2%)

Most unlawful entry with intent:

• occurred at a residential location (69% or 110,552 victims)
• involved the taking of property (60% or 96,751 victims)

There were 60,417 victims of motor vehicle theft recorded in Australia in 2023, an increase of 10% (5,432 victims) from the previous year. This was the highest number of victims of motor vehicle theft in the time series since 2008 (68,262 victims).

Victims of motor vehicle theft increased in all states and territories except the Australian Capital Territory (down 16% or 189 victims), with the largest increases in:

• Victoria (up 3,076 victims or 24%)
• New South Wales (up 1,764 victims or 18%)
• South Australia (up 341 victims or 9%)

Over half (54% or 32,369 victims) of stolen motor vehicles were taken from an outbuilding/residential land, and nearly a quarter (24%) were taken from a street/footpath.

There were 79 victims of homicide and related offences recorded in New South Wales in 2023, remaining stable from the previous year.

For victims of homicide and related offences:

• the majority (68%) were male (54 victims)
• more than two-thirds (70%) knew the offender (55 victims)
• around two-fifths (39%) were aged between 35 and 54 years (31 victims)

Most homicide and related offences:

• occurred at a residential location (65% or 51 victims)
• involved the use of a weapon (60% or 47 victims)

More than half (56%) were family and domestic violence (FDV) related (44 victims).

The number of victims of assault increased by 10% (7,040 victims) from the previous year to 76,533 victims in 2023. 

The victimisation rate also increased from 852 to 917 victims per 100,000 persons in 2023.

Most assault victims:

• were male (52% or 39,499 victims)
• knew the offender (69% or 53,064 victims)

Almost a quarter (23%) of victims were aged between 25 and 34 years (17,325 victims).

Most assaults:

• did not involve a weapon (97% or 74,146 victims)
• occurred at a residential location (57% or 43,356 victims)

Nearly half (48%) of all assaults were FDV related (36,317 victims).

There were 14,708 victims of sexual assault recorded in New South Wales in 2023, an increase of 19% (2,296 victims) from 2022. This was the twelfth annual increase in victim numbers.

The victimisation rate also increased from 152 to 176 victims per 100,000 persons, the highest rate recorded in the time series.

Most sexual assault victims:

• were female (81% or 11,900 victims)
• were under 18 at the date of incident (66% or 9,641 victims)
• knew the offender (84% or 12,412 victims)

Most sexual assaults:

• did not involve the use of a weapon (over 99% or 14,688 victims)
• occurred at a residential location (71% or 10,363 victims)

Over two-fifths (41%) of sexual assaults were FDV related (6,017 victims).

There were 2,204 victims of robbery in 2023, an increase of 6% (117 victims) from 2022.

From 2022: 

• armed robbery decreased by 5% (46 victims) to 885 victims in 2023
• unarmed robbery increased by 13% (152 victims) up to 1,316 victims in 2023

For person victims of robbery:

• the majority (79%) were male (1,595 victims)
• nearly a quarter (23%) were aged between 10 and 17 years (458 victims)

For robberies:

• three-fifths (60%) did not involve the use of a weapon (1,316 victims)
• over a third (36%) occurred on a street/footpath (799 victims)

Victims of blackmail/extortion recorded in New South Wales more than doubled since 2022, up 1,029 victims to 1,874 victims in 2023. 

The majority (91%) of person victims were male (1,690 victims).

Most (87%) person victims were aged 34 and under (1,621 victims) with:

• three-fifths (60%) aged between 18 and 34 years (1,127 victims)
• just over a quarter (26%) aged under 18 years (494 victims)

There were 33,974 victims of unlawful entry with intent recorded in New South Wales in 2023, an increase of 10% (3,040 victims) from the previous year.

Most unlawful entry with intent:

• occurred at a residential location (72% or 24,318 victims)
• involved the taking of property (61% or 20,626 victims)

The number of victims of motor vehicle theft increased by 18% (1,764 victims), from 9,909 victims in 2022 to 11,673 victims in 2023.

More than half (55%) of stolen motor vehicles were taken from an outbuilding/residential land (6,385 victims).

There were 117,870 victims of other theft recorded in 2023, an increase of 14% (14,156 victims) from the previous year.

Other theft most commonly occurred at a retail location (42% or 49,901 victims).

There were 88 victims of homicide and related offences recorded in Victoria in 2023.

Most victims of homicide and related offences were male (66% or 58 victims).

Most homicide and related offences:

• occurred at a residential location (57% or 50 victims)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (64% or 56 victims)

Just over a third (35%) of homicide and related offences were family and domestic violence (FDV) related (31 victims).

There were 6,316 victims of sexual assault recorded in Victoria in 2023. The victimisation rate was 93 victims per 100,000 persons.

Most victims of sexual assault:

• were female (87% or 5,474 victims)
• knew the offender (67% or 4,230 victims)

More than a third (37%) of victims were aged between 10 and 17 years at the date of incident (2,346 victims).

Most sexual assaults:

• did not involve the use of a weapon (98% or 6,213 victims)
• were reported to police within one year (69% or 4,379 victims)
• occurred at a residential location (67% or 4,210 victims)

Two in five (40%) sexual assaults were FDV related (2,516 victims).

There were 2,976 victims of robbery recorded in Victoria in 2023, an increase of 30% (682 victims) from 2022. However, the number of victims of robbery remained lower than 2019 (3,854 victims), prior to when COVID-19 restrictions were put in place.

Person victims of robbery were most commonly:

• male (81% or 2,274 victims)
• aged between 10 and 17 years (44% or 1,238 victims)

More than half of robberies:

• involved the use of a weapon (57% or 1,706 victims)
• occurred at a community location (53% or 1,571 victims), most commonly on a street/ footpath (31% or 930 victims)

The number of victims of blackmail/extortion recorded in Victoria increased by 10% (55 victims) in 2023 to 624 victims.

Most person victims of blackmail/extortion were:

• male (85% or 501 victims)
• aged between 18 and 34 years (56% or 330 victims)

In 2023, there were 36,652 victims of unlawful entry with intent recorded in Victoria, an increase of 19% (5,778 victims) from the previous year. However, the number of victims of unlawful entry with intent remained lower than 2019 (39,760 victims), prior to when COVID-19 restrictions were put in place.

Most unlawful entry with intent:

• occurred at a residential location (65% or 23,858 victims)
• involved the taking of property (60% or 22,072 victims)

Victims of motor vehicle theft increased by 24% (3,076 victims) to 15,957 victims in 2023 - the highest recorded number since 2016. 

Nearly half (47%) of all stolen motor vehicles were taken from an outbuilding/residential land (7,540 victims).

The number of victims of other theft increased by 21% (22,951 victims) from the previous year to 131,341 victims in 2023. However, the number of victims of other theft remained lower than 2019 (136,727 victims), prior to when COVID-19 restrictions were put in place.

Around a third (32%) of other theft offences occurred at a retail location (41,547 victims).

There were 111 victims of homicide and related offences recorded in Queensland in 2023, remaining relatively stable from the previous year.

For victims of homicide and related offences:

• the majority (68%) were male (75 victims)
• the most common age group was between 35 and 54 years (40% or 44 victims)

Nearly half of all homicide and related offences:

• occurred at a residential location (47% or 52 victims)
• involved the use of a weapon (47% or 52 victims)

Over a third (37%) of all homicides in Queensland were family and domestic violence (FDV) related (41 victims).

The number of victims of assault recorded in Queensland increased by 12% (6,104 victims) from the previous year to 58,479 victims in 2023. The victimisation rate also increased from 983 to 1,071 victims per 100,000 persons.

For victims of assault:

• over two-thirds knew the offender (68% or 39,932 victims)
• more than half were female (57% or 33,121 victims)
• nearly a quarter were aged between 25 and 34 years (24% or 14,139 victims)

Most assaults:

• did not involve the use of a weapon (81% or 47,316 victims)
• occurred at a residential location (62% or 36,382 victims)

Around three in five (61%) assaults were FDV related (35,483 victims).

In 2023, there were 8,442 victims of sexual assault recorded in Queensland, a 14% increase (1,011 victims) from the previous year. The victimisation rate also increased from 140 to 155 victims per 100,000 persons.

Most victims of sexual assault:

• were female (85% or 7,171 victims)
• knew the offender (66% or 5,560 victims)

More than half of victims were under 18 years of age at the date of the incident (54% or 4,566 victims).

For sexual assaults:

• most (93%) did not involve use of a weapon (7,832 victims)
• over two-thirds (70%) were reported to police within one year of the incident (5,937 victims)
• around two-thirds (67%) occurred at a residential location (5,663 victims)

Two in five (40%) sexual assaults were FDV related (3,359 victims).

There were 3,235 victims of robbery recorded in Queensland in 2023, a 17% increase (476 victims) from the previous year. 

Person victims were most commonly aged between 10 and 17 years (29% or 777 victims).

More than a quarter of robberies:

• occurred on a street/footpath (28% or 891 victims)
• involved the use of a knife (26% or 847 victims)

There were 152 victims of blackmail/extortion recorded in Queensland in 2023.

For person victims of blackmail:

• around three in five (61%) were male (89 victims)
• more than a third (36%) were aged between 18 and 34 years (53 victims)

There were 49,490 victims of unlawful entry with intent recorded in Queensland in 2023, an increase of 5% (2,213 victims) from the previous year. Most (57%) unlawful entry with intent involved the taking of property (28,230 victims).

The majority (70%) of unlawful entry with intent occurred at a residential location (34,487 victims).

There were 18,210 victims of motor vehicle theft in Queensland in 2023. This was the highest recorded number of victims of motor vehicle theft since 2000.

Vehicles were most commonly (59%) taken from an outbuilding/residential land (10,789 victims).

There were 151,501 victims of other theft recorded in Queensland in 2023, an increase of 20% (25,107 victims) from the previous year. This was the highest recorded number of victims of other theft since the time series began in 1995.

Over half (53%) of other theft offences occurred at a retail location (79,516 victims).

There were 48 victims of homicide and related offences recorded in South Australia in 2023, an increase of 19 victims from 2022. 

The majority (54%) of homicide and related offences were attempted murder (26 victims).

For victims of homicide and related offences:

• most were male (58% or 28 victims)
• the most common age at report was between 35 and 54 years (46% or 22 victims)
• most knew the offender (71% or 34 victims)

Most homicide and related offences:

• occurred at a residential location (60% or 29 victims)
• involved the use of a weapon (67% or 32 victims), most commonly a knife (27% or 13 victims)

A quarter (25%) of all homicide and related offences were family and domestic (FDV) related (12 victims).

In 2023, there were 21,878 victims of assault recorded in South Australia, an increase of 11% (2,137 victims) from the previous year.

The victimisation rate also increased from 1,084 to 1,181 victims per 100,000 persons from 2022.

Most assault victims:

• were female (53% or 11,537 victims)
• knew the offender (74% or 16,132 victims)

A quarter (25%) of all assault victims were aged between 25 and 34 years (5,427 victims).

Most assaults:

• occurred at a residential location (58% or 12,599 victims)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (75% or 16,485 victims)

Almost half (49%) of all assaults were FDV related (10,666 victims).

In South Australia, the number of victims of sexual assault increased by 11% (198 victims) to 2,014 victims in 2023.

Accounting for population change, the victimisation rate also increased from 100 to 109 victims per 100,000 persons between 2022 and 2023.

Most victims of sexual assault:

• were female (86% or 1,725 victims)
• knew the offender (81% or 1,623 victims)

Around a third (32%) of all sexual assault victims were aged between 10 and 17 years at the date of incident (649 victims).

Most sexual assaults:

• occurred at a residential location (68% or 1,365 victims)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (93% or 1,869 victims)
• were reported within a year of incident (75% or 1,515 victims)

More than a third (36%) of all sexual assaults were FDV related (724 victims).

There were 579 victims of robbery in South Australia in 2023, an increase of 17% (83 victims) from 2022.

For person victims of robbery:

• most were male (74% or 392 victims)
• more than a quarter (26%) were aged between 10 and 17 years at date of report (138 victims)

Most (58%) robberies involved the use of a weapon (338 victims), most commonly a knife (36% or 208 victims). Robbery offences most commonly occurred on a street or footpath (41% or 236 victims).

The number of victims of blackmail/extortion remained relatively stable, with a 5 victim increase from the previous year to 350 victims in 2023.

Most person victims were:

• male (88% or 311 victims)
• aged between 18 and 34 years at date of report (57% or 199 victims)

There were 10,284 victims of unlawful entry with intent recorded in South Australia in 2023, an increase of 8% (741 victims) from 2022.

Most unlawful entry with intent:

• involved the taking of property (66% or 6,804 victims)
• occurred at a residential location (76% or 7,769 victims)

There were 3,950 victims of motor vehicle theft in South Australia in 2023, an increase of 9% (341 victims) from the previous year.

Almost half (49%) of all motor vehicles were taken from an outbuilding/residential land (1,914 victims).

There were 51,250 victims of other theft recorded in South Australia in 2023, an increase of 16% (7,022 victims) from the previous year.

More than half (54%) of other theft offences occurred at a retail location (27,599 victims).

There were 68 victims of homicide and related offences in Western Australia in 2023, an increase of 19 victims from the previous year. The homicide victimisation rate remained stable at 2 victims per 100,000 persons.

For victims of homicide and related offences:

• over half were male (53% or 36 victims)
• over a third (37%) were aged 35 to 54 years (25 victims)

Over half of the homicides:

• occurred at a residential location (54% or 37 victims)
• involved the use of a weapon (54% or 37 victims)

Over a quarter (27%) were family and domestic violence (FDV) related (18 victims).

In 2023, the number of victims of assault in Western Australia increased by 11% (4,083 victims) to 42,826 victims, the highest recorded across the thirty-one-year time series. The assault victimisation rate also increased from 1,390 in 2022 to 1,486 victims per 100,000 persons in 2023. 

For victims of assault:

• around three in five (62%) were female (26,452 victims)
• more than a quarter (26%) were aged between 25 and 34 years at the date of report (11,101 victims) 

Most assaults:

• occurred at a residential location (65% or 27,958 victims)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (79% or 33,846 victims)
• almost two-thirds of all assaults were FDV related (64% or 27,237 victims)

The number of sexual assault victims increased by 9% (271 victims) to 3,429 victims in 2023, the second highest recorded victim number in the thirty-one-year time series. The victimisation rate also increased to 119 victims per 100,000 persons in 2023.

For victims of sexual assault:

• most were female (86% or 2,964 victims)
• over half (56%) were aged under 18 years at the date of report (1,903 victims)

Most sexual assaults:

• occurred at a residential location (75% or 2,557 victims)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (65% or 2,230 victims)

Over a quarter (28%) of all sexual assault incidents were FDV related (960 victims).

Between 2021 and 2023, the proportion of victims who reported the incident to police within a year increased from 81% to 84%, the largest proportion in the time series.

There were 1,374 victims of robbery in 2023, an increase of 11% (138 victims) from the previous year.

For person victims of robbery:

• almost three-quarters were male (74% or 920 victims)
• the most common age group was between 10 and 17 years at the date of report (35% or 430 victims)

Almost half of all robberies:

• did not involve the use of a weapon (49% or 674 victims)
• occurred at a community location (46% or 628 victims), most commonly a street/footpath (28% or 385 victims) 

Retail made up over a quarter of all robbery locations (29% or 404 victims).

In 2023, victims of blackmail/extortion increased by 64% (137 victims) to 352 victims. This was the highest number recorded in the thirty-one-year time series. 

For person victims of blackmail/extortion:

• most were male (83% or 292 victims)
• most were aged under 18 years (70% or 247 victims)
• female victims tended to be older with more than half (53%) aged over 18 years at the date of report compared with 23% of male victims

In 2023, the number of victims of unlawful entry with intent decreased by 15% (3,224 victims) from the previous year to 18,835 victims. This was the second decrease since 2021 to the lowest number in the thirty-one-year recorded time series.

Most unlawful entry with intent:

• occurred at a residential location (69% or 12,993 victims)
• involved the taking of property (73% or 13,679 victims)

There were 6,732 victims of motor vehicle theft recorded in Western Australia in 2023, an increase of 14 victims from 2023. This was the third successive increase following a decline in motor vehicle theft in 2020 coinciding with the introduction of COVID-19 restrictions.

More than half (58%) of all motor vehicles were taken from an outbuilding/residential land (3,915 victims).

Victims of other theft increased by 17% (12,030 victims) to 83,882 victims in 2023. This was the highest recorded number since 2019.

Almost half (48%) of other theft offences occurred at a retail location (40,470 victims).

There were 8 victims of homicide and related offences in Tasmania in 2023.

In 2023, there were 4,085 victims of assault recorded in Tasmania, an increase of 8% (303 victims) from the previous year.

Taking into account population change, the victimisation rate also increased from 662 to 713 victims per 100,000 persons in the same period.

For victims of assault:

• most (52%) were female (2,118 victims)
• more than two-thirds (69%) knew the offender (2,835 victims)
• more than a quarter (26%) were aged between 25 and 34 years at the date of report (1,047 victims)

Most assaults:

• occurred at a residential location (52% or 2,115 victims)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (81% or 3,305 victims)

More than two-fifths (45%) of assaults were family and domestic violence (FDV) related (1,823 victims).

There were 585 victims of sexual assault in Tasmania in 2023, an increase of 9 victims (2%) from 2022.

Most sexual assault victims:

• were female (86% or 500 victims)
• knew the offender (90% or 524 victims)
• were aged under 18 at the date of incident (54% or 313 victims)

Most sexual assaults:

• occurred at a residential location (76% or 442 victims)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (95% or 556 victims)
• were reported within one year of the incident (64% or 373 victims)

Around two-fifths (41%) of all sexual assaults were FDV related (237 victims).

There were 263 victims of robbery in Tasmania in 2023, an increase of 56 victims (27%) from 2022. This was the highest recorded number of robbery victims in the thirty-one-year time series.

For person victims of robbery:

• most (72%) were male (115 victims)
• the most common age at report was between 10 and 17 years (23% or 37 victims)
• almost two-fifths (38%) knew the offender (60 victims)

Robbery most commonly:

• occurred at a retail location (42% or 110 victims)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (54% or 143 victims)

Victims of unlawful entry with intent increased by 31% from the previous year to 3,278 victims. However, the number of victims of unlawful entry with intent remained lower than 2019 (3,372 victims), prior to when COVID-19 restrictions were put in place.

Most unlawful entry with intent:

• occurred at a residential location (59% or 1,917 victims)
• involved the taking of property (78% or 2,559 victims)

There were 1,678 victims of motor vehicle theft recorded in Tasmania in 2023, an increase of 13% (189 victims) from 2022.

More than half (53%) of all motor vehicles were taken from an outbuilding/residential land (895 victims).

Victims of other theft increased by 31% (2,404 victims) to 10,128 victims in 2023 - the highest recorded number since 2006.

More than half (56%) of other theft offences occurred at a retail location (5,701 victims).

There were 11 victims of homicide and related offences recorded in the Northern Territory in 2023. The victimisation rate decreased from 6 to 4 victims per 100,000 persons. 

Over half (55%) of homicides were family and domestic violence (FDV) related (6 victims).

The number of victims of assault in the Northern Territory increased by 11% (1,113 victims) from the previous year to 11,540 victims in 2023. This was the highest number of victims of assault recorded since the time series began in 1995. 

The victimisation rate also increased from 2022, to the highest recorded rate, from 4,159 to 4,570 victims per 100,000 persons.

For victims of assault in the Northern Territory:

• over half (58%) were assaulted by a family member (6,659 victims)
• two-thirds (66%) were female (7,647 victims)
• nearly a third (30%) were aged between 25 and 34 years (3,427 victims)

For assaults:

• over half (58%) did not involve the use of a weapon (6,691 victims)
• nearly half (48%) occurred at a residential location (5,530 victims)

Two in three (67%) assaults were FDV related (7,706 victims).

There were 452 victims of sexual assault recorded in the Northern Territory in 2023, an increase of 25% (90 victims). This was the highest number of sexual assaults recorded since the time series began in 1993. The victimisation rate also increased from 144 to 179 victims per 100,000 persons from the previous year.

Most victims of sexual assault in the Northern Territory were:

• female (89% or 404 victims)
• over 18 years of age at the date of incident (64% or 289 victims)

Most sexual assaults: 

• did not involve the use of a weapon (87% or 394 victims)
• were reported within one year (89% or 402 victims)

More than a third (36%) of sexual assaults recorded in the Northern Territory occurred in dwelling locations (161 victims).

A quarter (25%) of sexual assaults were FDV related (115 victims).

In 2023, the number of victims of unlawful entry with intent increased by 6% (354 victims) from the previous year to 6,548 victims. This was the highest number of victims of unlawful entry with intent since the time series began in 1993.

Unlawful entry with intent most commonly:

• did not involve the taking of property (73% or 4,807 victims)
• occurred at a residential location (64% or 4,181 victims)

There were 1,228 victims of motor vehicle theft recorded in the Northern Territory in 2023, an increase of 23% (227 victims) from the previous year. This was the highest number of victims of motor vehicle theft since the time series began in 1993. 

Around two in five (42%) stolen motor vehicles were taken from an outbuilding/residential land (521 victims).

In 2023, the number of victims of assault increased by 7% (168 victims) from the previous year to 2,628 victims. This was the highest number in the thirty-one-year time series and the third consecutive increase in assault victims. 

The assault victimisation rate also increased from 539 in 2022 to 563 victims per 100,000 persons in 2023.

For victims of assault:

• more were male (1,340 victims) than female (1,192 victims)
• nearly a quarter (23%) were aged between 25 and 34 years at the date of report (599 victims)
• a higher proportion of females knew the offender (81%) than males (49%)

Most assaults:

• occurred at a residential location (46% or 1,196 victims) or on a street/footpath (31% or 820 victims) 
• did not involve the use of a weapon (90% or 2,376 victims) 

Around two in five (42%) of the incidents were family and domestic violence (FDV) related (1,099 victims).

There were 372 victims of sexual assault recorded in the Australian Capital Territory in 2023, an increase of 15% (47 victims) from the previous year. This was the highest number recorded in the thirty-one-year time series. 

The victimisation rate also increased to 80 victims per 100,000 persons, the highest in the time series since 2007.

For victims of sexual assault:

• most were female (88% or 327 victims)
• the majority knew the offender (73% or 272 victims)
• over a third were aged under 18 years at the date of incident (37% or 137 victims)
• a greater proportion of females (84%) than males (74%) reported the sexual assault within a year 

Most sexual assaults:

• occurred at a residential location (63% or 234 victims)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (97% or 361 victims)

Almost a third (32%) of the incidents were FDV related (119 victims)

There were 183 victims of robbery in the Australian Capital Territory in 2023, a decrease of 4 victims (2%) from the previous year.

The majority (69%) of person victims of robbery were male (117 victims).

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of all robberies were unarmed (119 victims).

Around two-fifths of the incidents occurred:

• on a street/footpath (40% or 73 victims) 
• at a retail location (37% or 67 victims)

In 2023, the number of victims of unlawful entry with intent decreased by 2% (45 victims) from the previous year to 1,827 victims. This was the lowest number in the thirty-one-year time series. 

Almost three in five (57%) incidents involved the taking of property (1,049 victims). Most (57%) incidents of unlawful entry with intent occurred at a residential location (1,034 victims).

There were 992 victims of motor vehicle theft recorded in 2023, a decrease of 16% (189 victims) from the previous year. This was the lowest number recorded since 2016.

Most (51%) motor vehicle theft occurred at a community location (508 victims), most commonly a street/footpath (29% or 286 victims). 

There were 6,804 victims of other theft in 2023, a decrease of 5% (336 victims) from the previous year. 

Over a quarter (29%) of other thefts occurred at a retail location (1,999 victims). 

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims of assault recorded in 2023 were:

• 13,542 victims in Queensland
• 8,600 victims in New South Wales
• 8,316 victims in the Northern Territory
• 3,532 victims in South Australia

Most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims of assault:

• were female (61–76%)
• knew the offender (81–91%)

Most assaults of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims were family and domestic violence (FDV) related incidents (66–82%).

Almost a quarter to a third of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims of assault were aged between 25 and 34 years at the date of report (24–30%).

The most common location for assault was a residential location (53–70%).

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims of sexual assault recorded in 2023 were:

• 1,628 victims in New South Wales
• 1,088 victims in Queensland
• 214 victims in Northern Territory
• 168 victims in South Australia

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims of sexual assault:

• most were female (77%–91%)
• the most common age group was aged between 10 and 17 years at the date of the incident (29–51%)
• most incidents were reported to police within a year (65–90%)

At least a third of all sexual assaults were FDV related incidents (34–48%).

The most common location for sexual assaults was a residential location (63%–78%).

There were 157 victims of family and domestic violence (FDV) homicide and related offences recorded nationally in 2023, an increase of 20% (26 victims) from the previous year.

Accounting for population change, the victimisation rate in 2023 was 0.6 victims per 100,000 persons. Since the time series began in 2014, the victimisation has ranged between 0.4 and 0.7 victims per 100,000 persons. 

FDV related homicide comprised nearly two-fifths (38%) of all recorded homicides in 2023.

FDV related homicide victims were most commonly:

• female (60% or 94 victims)
• aged 55 years or over (36% or 57 victims)

Most FDV related homicides:

• occurred at a residential location (82% or 128 victims)
• were murders (62% or 97 victims)
• involved the use of a weapon (55% or 87 victims), with over a quarter (29%) involving a knife (46 victims)

At least two in five assaults recorded by selected state and territory police were FDV related, ranging between 42% in the Australian Capital Territory and 67% in the Northern Territory.

For selected states and territories, victims of FDV related assault were most commonly:

• female (65–79%)
• assaulted by an intimate partner (52–81%)
• between 25 and 34 years of age (23–30%)

FDV related assaults most commonly:

• occurred at a residential location (62–87%)
• did not involve the use of a weapon (58–98%)

There were 14,059 victims of FDV related sexual assault recorded nationally in 2023, an increase of 18% (2,115 victims).

Around two in five (39%) of all sexual assaults recorded in 2023 were FDV related.

Victims of FDV related sexual assaults were most commonly:

• female (88% or 12,400 victims)
• between 10 and 17 years of age at the date of incident (34% or 4,763 victims)

Most FDV related sexual assaults:

• did not involve the use of a weapon (94% or 13,277 victims)
• occurred in a residential location (92% or 12,895 victims)
• were reported within a year (58% or 8,133 victims)

The offender was most commonly recorded as:

• intimate partner in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, ranging from 49% in Victoria to 69% in the Australian Capital Territory
• other family member in New South Wales (52%) and Queensland (48%)

There were 169 victims of FDV related kidnapping/abductions in 2023, comprising over a third (34%) of all kidnapping/abductions recorded nationally.

Victims of FDV related kidnapping/abductions were most commonly:

• female (79% or 134 victims)
• aged between 18 and 34 years (49% or 83 victims)

Most FDV related kidnapping/abductions:

• did not involve the use of a weapon (77% or 130 victims)
• occurred at a residential location (67% or 113 victims)