Crime Victimisation, Australia

During the 2018-19 reference period, an estimated 5.0% of Australians aged 15 years and over (992,900) experienced one or more selected personal crimes in the last 12 months, including:

• 2.4% (468,200) who experienced physical assault, of which 53% had the most recent incident reported to police;
• 2.8% (546,500) who experienced face-to-face threatened assault, of which 35% had the most recent incident reported to police;
• 1.0% (202,600) who experienced non face-to-face threatened assault, of which 31% had the most recent incident reported to police; and
• 0.4% (73,400) who experienced robbery, of which 51% had the most recent incident reported to police.
   

During the 2018-19 reference period, an estimated 0.4% of Australians aged 18 years and over (78,300) experienced sexual assault, of which 28% had the most recent incident reported to police.

Between 2008-09 and 2018-19 there was a decrease in the victimisation rate for persons aged 15 years and over for the following selected personal crimes:

• Physical assault (3.1% to 2.4%);
• Face-to-face threatened assault (3.9% to 2.8%);
• Non face-to-face threatened assault (1.2% to 1.0%); and
• Robbery (0.6% to 0.4%).
   

The victimisation rate for sexual assault (for persons aged 18 years and over) in 2018-19 (0.4%) was similar to the rate in 2008-09 (0.3%).

During the 2018-19 reference period, an estimated 10% of Australian households (958,900) experienced one or more selected household crimes in the last 12 months, including:

• 2.4% (231,000) that experienced break-in, of which 77% had the most recent incident reported to police;
• 1.9% (181,900) that experienced attempted break-in, of which 44% had the most recent incident reported to police;
• 0.5% (46,100) that experienced motor vehicle theft, of which 89% had the most recent incident reported to police;
• 2.5% (240,600) that experienced theft from a motor vehicle, of which 53% had the most recent incident reported to police;
• 4.6% (439,600) that experienced malicious property damage, of which 53% had the most recent incident reported to police; and
• 2.1% (205,300) that experienced other theft, of which 38% had the most recent incident reported to police.
   

Between 2008-09 and 2018-19 there was a decrease in the victimisation rate for all selected household crimes, including:

• Break-in (3.3% to 2.4%);
• Attempted break-in (3.1% to 1.9%);
• Motor vehicle theft (1.1% to 0.5%);
• Theft from a motor vehicle (4.5% to 2.5%);
• Malicious property damage (11.1% to 4.6%); and
• Other theft (4.4% to 2.1%).
   

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to incidents of selected types of assault that occurred in the 12 months prior to interview for the 2018-19 reference period.

An estimated 4.8% of Australians aged 15 years and over (956,300) experienced either physical assault or threatened assault, which remained unchanged since 2017-18. Of these:

• 41% (387,900) experienced a single incident;
• 15% (142,900) experienced two incidents; and
• 42% (398,200) experienced three or more incidents.
   

The following groups were more likely to experience physical or threatened assault in the last 12 months:

• men (5.2%) compared with women (4.4%);
• persons aged 15 to 24 (7.5%) compared with persons in all other age categories (ranging from 1.7% for persons aged 65 years and over to 5.5% for persons aged 25 to 44 years);
• persons living outside of capital cities (5.8%) compared with persons living in capital cities (4.3%);
• unemployed persons (10.3%) compared with employed persons (5.0%) and persons not in the labour force (4.0%); and
• persons living in an area in the lowest quintile (most disadvantage) of the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage (6.9%) compared with persons living in areas in all other quintiles (ranging from 2.9% for the highest quintile to 5.3% for the third quintile).
   

An estimated 2.4% of Australians aged 15 years and over (468,200) experienced physical assault, which remained unchanged since 2017-18. Of these:

• 49% (229,500) experienced a single incident;
• 19% (90,200) experienced two incidents; and
• 30% (141,900) experienced three or more incidents.
   

Men and women experienced physical assault at a similar rate (2.5% and 2.3% respectively).

The following groups were more likely to experience physical assault in the last 12 months:

• persons aged 15 to 24 (3.9%) compared with persons aged 65 years and over (0.8%);
• persons living outside of capital cities (2.9%) compared with persons living in capital cities (2.1%);
• unemployed persons (6.2%) compared with employed persons (2.4%) and persons not in the labour force (2.0%); and
• persons living in an area in the lowest quintile (most disadvantage) of the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage (3.6%) compared with persons living in the highest quintile (1.3%).
   

An estimated 53% of persons who experienced physical assault (246,000) had their most recent incident reported to police. The reporting rate was similar for women (54%) and men (51%).

Common reasons why men did not report to police included:

• feeling it was too trivial or unimportant (14% or 33,800); and
• regarding it as a personal matter (13% or 31,700).
   

Common reasons why women did not report to police included:

• told somebody else instead (11% or 26,100); and
• thought that the police would be unwilling or unable to do anything (10% or 22,300).
   

In the most recent incident of physical assault experienced by men:

• the perpetrator was most commonly a male (80% or 194,500);
• the perpetrator was a stranger in 53% of incidents (129,000);
• common locations where the incident occurred included in the street or other open land (24% or 57,800), work (22% or 53,200), and in the man's home (22% or 52,800); and
• the man believed alcohol or another substance contributed to the incident (60% or 134,700).
   

In the most recent incident of physical assault experienced by women:

• the perpetrator was most commonly a male (69% or 158,300);
• the perpetrator was more commonly someone known to the woman (75% or 171,100) than a stranger (24% or 55,100);
• the known perpetrator was most frequently an intimate partner (25% or 56,800);
• the location was most frequently the woman's home (41% or 92,400); and
• the woman believed alcohol or another substance contributed to the incident (43% or 87,900).
   

An estimated 3.0% of Australians aged 15 years and over (600,900) experienced threatened assault (face-to-face and/or non-face-to-face), which was similar to the rate in 2017-18 (2.8%).

Men experienced threatened assault at a higher rate than women (3.3% compared with 2.8%).

An estimated 2.8% of Australians aged 15 years and over (546,500) experienced face-to-face threatened assault, which was similar to the rate in 2017-18 (2.6%). Of these:

• 40% (218,800) experienced a single incident;
• 21% (116,900) experienced two incidents; and
• 38% (206,800) experienced three or more incidents.
   

The following groups were more likely to experience face-to-face threatened assault in the last 12 months:

• men (3.0%) compared with women (2.5%);
• persons aged 15 to 24 (4.2%) compared with persons aged 65 years and over (0.9%);
• persons living outside of capital cities (3.4%) compared with persons living in capital cities (2.5%); and
• persons living in an area in the lowest quintile (most disadvantage) of the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage (3.8%) compared with persons living in the highest quintile (1.7%).
   

An estimated 35% of persons (192,900) who experienced face-to-face threatened assault had their most recent incident reported to police. Women were more likely to report their most recent incident of face-to-face threatened assault to police (44%) than men (28%).

The most common reason men gave for not reporting to police was believing it was too trivial or unimportant (23% or 68,000) whilst for women it was because they told somebody else instead (17% or 42,100).

In the most recent incident of face-to-face threatened assault experienced by men:

• the perpetrator was most commonly a male (79% or 230,800);
• the perpetrator was more frequently a known person (55% or 160,600) than a stranger (44% or 130,600);
• the known perpetrator was most frequently a professional relationship (11% or 31,500) and colleague/fellow school student (11% or 31,200);
• the incident most commonly occurred at work (34% or 100,500); and
• the man believed alcohol or another substance contributed to the incident (46% or 123,400).
   

In the most recent incident of face-to-face threatened assault experienced by women:

• the perpetrator was most commonly a male (64% or 162,500);
• the perpetrator was more frequently a known person (66% or 167,300) than a stranger (35% or 89,900);
• the known perpetrator was most frequently an intimate partner (17% or 41,900) and professional relationship (17% or 43,600);
• the incident most commonly occurred at work (36% or 90,500) and the woman’s home (32% or 81,600); and
• the woman believed alcohol or another substance contributed to the incident (53% or 128,000).
   

An estimated 1.0% of Australians aged 15 years and over (202,600) experienced non face-to-face threatened assault in 2018-19, an increase from 0.8% in 2017-18.

The following groups were more likely to experience non face-to-face threatened assault in the last 12 months:

• women (1.2%) compared with men (0.9%);
• persons living outside capital cities of Australia (1.4%) compared with those living in capital cities (0.9%).
   

Approximately, 31% of all persons (63,600) who experienced non face-to-face threatened assault had their most recent incident reported to police.

Of men who experienced non face-to-face threatened assault:

• 39% (33,600) experienced threatened assault over the phone;
• 35% (30,500) experienced threatened assault via SMS;
• 34% (29,600) experienced threatened assault via instant messaging/social networking; and
• 33% (28,000) experienced threatened assault through another person (or by word of mouth).
   

Of women who experienced non face-to-face threatened assault:

• 56% (65,000) experienced threatened assault via SMS;
• 42% (49,500) experienced threatened assault over the phone;
• 30% (35,100) experienced threatened assault via instant messaging/social networking; and
• 23% (26,700) experienced threatened assault through another person (or by word of mouth).
   

An estimated 78,300 Australians aged 18 years and over (0.4%) experienced sexual assault, which was similar to the rate in 2017-18 (0.3%).

An estimated 28% of persons who experienced sexual assault had their most recent incident reported to police.

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to incidents of robbery that occurred in the 12 months prior to interview for the 2018-19 reference period.

An estimated 73,400 Australians aged 15 years and over (0.4%) experienced robbery, which was similar to the victimisation rate in 2017-18 (0.3%). This included 0.4% of men (35,600) and 0.3% of women (34,700).

In the most recent incident of robbery:

• the perpetrator was most commonly a male (70% or 51,000);
• three-quarters of most incidents did not involve the use of a weapon (75% or 55,200);
• two-thirds of people did not have property stolen (65% or 47,400); and
• half of all persons reported the incident to police (51% or 37,500).

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to incidents of break-in and attempted break-in that occurred in the 12 months prior to interview for the 2018-19 reference period.

An estimated 2.4% of Australian households (231,000) experienced a break-in, which was similar to the rate in 2017-18 (2.5%). Of these, the majority experienced a single incident (81% or 187,900).

Households in an area in the lowest quintile (most disadvantage) of the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage were more likely to experience a break-in compared with households in the highest quintile (3.3% compared with 2.2%).

An estimated 77% of households (178,400) that experienced a break-in had the most recent incident reported to police.

Common reasons given for not reporting the most recent incident to police:

• too trivial or unimportant (8.5% or 19,600); and
• nothing the police could do or would be willing to do (8.1% or 18,800).
   

During the most recent incident of break-in:

• half of households had property damaged (49% or 113,600);
• 10% of households had someone confront the perpetrator (23,400); and
• 73% of households had something stolen (167,500).
   

Common types of property stolen in the most recent incident of break-in included:

• personal items, including handbag, jewellery, clothing (26% or 59,900);
• tools (19% or 44,500); and
• money, purse or wallet (18% or 40,900).
   

An estimated 1.9% of Australian households (181,900) experienced an attempted break-in, a decrease from 2.2% in 2017-18. Of these, 77% experienced a single incident (139,700).

Households in an area in the lowest quintile (most disadvantage) of the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage were more likely to experience an attempted break-in compared with households in the highest quintile (2.9% compared with 1.3%).

Common evidence of attempted break-in included damage to or tampering with doors or windows (47% or 85,500) and seeing or hearing someone trying to break-in (21% or 37,900).

An estimated 44% of households that experienced an attempted break-in (80,100) reported the most recent incident to police.

Common reasons given for not reporting to police were thinking it was too trivial or unimportant (24% or 43,900) and thinking there was nothing the police could do (18% or 33,000).

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to incidents of motor vehicle theft and theft from a motor vehicle that occurred in the 12 months prior to interview for the 2018-19.

An estimated 0.5% of Australian households (46,100) had a motor vehicle stolen, which was similar to the rate in 2017-18 (0.6%).

The majority of households that experienced motor vehicle theft (89% or 40,800) reported the most recent incident to police.

Common locations where the most recent incident of motor vehicle theft occurred include the person’s or another person’s home (57% or 26,100) and in the street or other open land (30% or 13,900).

An estimated 2.5% of Australian households (240,600) experienced theft from a motor vehicle, a decrease from 3.1% in 2017-18.

The majority of households that experienced theft from a motor vehicle experienced a single incident (86% or 207,100).

Households in capital cities were more likely than households outside of capital cities to experience theft from a motor vehicle (2.7% compared with 2.0%).

Half of households that experienced theft from a motor vehicle (53% or 127,800) reported the most recent incident to police.

Common reasons given for not reporting to police were thinking it was too trivial or unimportant (29% or 70,500) and thinking there was nothing the police could do (12% or 28,700).

Common types of property stolen in the most recent incident of theft from a motor vehicle include:

• money, a purse or wallet (43% or 103,900);
• personal items, including handbag, jewellery, clothing (35% or 83,400); and
• motor vehicle parts (18% or 43,200).
   

Common locations where the most recent incident of theft from a motor vehicle occurred include:

• the person’s home (72% or 172,900);
• in the street or open land (13% or 30,300); and
• a carpark (7.3% or 17,600).

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to incidents of malicious property damage that occurred in the 12 months prior to interview for the 2018-19 reference period.

An estimated 4.6% of Australians households (439,600) experienced malicious property damage, a decrease from 5.1% in 2017-18.

Of households that experienced malicious property damage, 80% experienced a single incident (353,500).

Malicious property damage was more likely to be experienced by:

• households in capital cities compared with households outside of capital cities (4.9% compared with 4.0%); and
• households in an area in the lowest quintile (most disadvantage) of the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage, compared with those in the highest quintile (6.4% compared with 3.9%).
   

Just over half of households that experienced malicious property damage reported their most recent incident to police (53% or 234,900).

Common reasons for not reporting to police were thinking it was too trivial or unimportant (23% or 100,200) and thinking there was nothing the police could do (13% or 58,000).

Common types of property damaged, defaced or destroyed in the most recent incident of malicious property damage include:

• external doors (26% or 113,300);
• a car or other motor vehicle (24% or 105,800); and
• other exterior items (25% or 109,600).

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to incidents of other theft that occurred in the 12 months prior to interview for the 2018-19 reference period.

An estimated 2.1% of Australians households (205,300) experienced other theft, a decrease from 2.5% in 2017-18.

Of households that experienced other theft, approximately 81% experienced a single incident (165,700).

Other theft was more likely to be experienced by households in capital cities compared with households outside of capital cities (2.3% compared with 1.8%).

An estimated 38% of households reported their most recent incident of other theft to police (78,500).

Common reasons for not reporting to police were thinking it was too trivial or unimportant (30% or 62,000) and thinking there was nothing the police could do (14% or 28,400).

Common types of property stolen in the most recent incident of other theft include:

• personal items such as handbags, jewellery and clothing (24% or 48,900);
• money, purse or wallet (18% or 36,600);
• bicycles or sporting equipment (17% or 35,700); and
• outdoor or garden items (16% or 32,700).
   

Common locations where the most recent incident of other theft occurred include the person's home (55% or 112,500 households) and a place of work (12% or 24,800 households).

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to experiences of selected personal and household crimes in the 12 months prior to interview in New South Wales for the 2018-19 reference period.

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to experiences of selected personal and household crimes in the 12 months prior to interview in Victoria for the 2018-19 reference period.

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to experiences of selected personal and household crimes in the 12 months prior to interview in Queensland for the 2018-19 reference period.

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to experiences of selected personal and household crimes in the 12 months prior to interview in South Australia for the 2018-19 reference period.

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to experiences of selected personal and household crimes in the 12 months prior to interview in Western Australia for the 2018-19 reference period.

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to experiences of selected personal and household crimes in the 12 months prior to interview in Tasmania for the 2018-19 reference period.

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to experiences of selected personal and household crimes in the 12 months prior to interview in the Northern Territory for the 2018-19 reference period.

The statistics discussed throughout the commentary refer to experiences of selected personal and household crimes in the 12 months prior to interview in the Australian Capital Territory for the 2018-19 reference period.

Estimates marked with an asterisk (*) have a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution. For more information about relative standard error refer to the Technical note within the Methodology.

This release previously used catalogue number 4530.0.