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Australian crime : facts and figures 2003

Victimisation reports

Percentage of crimes reported to the police, Australia 1998 and 2002
chart

^* Includes only female victims of sexual assault.

Australian Bureau of Statistics 1999, Crime and safety, Australia 1998, cat. no. 4509.0, ABS, Canberra.
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2003, Crime and safety, Australia 2002, cat. no. 4509.0, ABS, Canberra.

Victims of crimes involving property loss were more likely than victims of personal crime to report the incident to police.
Households victimised by motor vehicle theft were most likely to report the crime to police (95%).
Sexual assault victims had the lowest reporting rate in 2002 at 20%, down from 33% in 1998.
Assault victims had the lowest reporting rate in 1998 (28%), a figure that increased to 31% in 2002.
The main reasons given by victims of break-ins for not reporting to police were they thought there was nothing the police could or would do, and the matter was too trivial.
The main reasons given by victims of assault for not reporting to police were that the matter was too trivial, it was a personal matter the victim would take care of themselves, the police would be unable or unwilling to do anything to help, and fear of reprisal from the offender.