Key findings



In the 12 months prior to interview in 2018-19:

468,200 Australians (2.4%) experienced physical assault;

600,900 Australians (3.0%) experienced threatened assault;

231,000 Australian households (2.4%) experienced a break-in; and

439,600 Australian households (4.6%) experienced malicious property damage.

Personal crimes



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%).



VICTIMISATION RATES, Selected personal crimes, Australia, 2008-09 to 2018-19(a)(b)



Footnote(s): (a) Victimisation rate refers to the total number of persons aged 15 years and over (18 years and over for sexual assault) that experienced a crime type, expressed as a percentage of all persons. (b) Survey error should be taken into account when analysing changes across the different time points. For more information on survey error, refer to the Technical Note .



© Commonwealth of Australia 2020



Household crimes



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%).

VICTIMISATION RATES, Selected household crimes, Australia, 2008-09 to 2018-19(a)(b)



Footnote(s): (a) Victimisation rate refers to the total number of households that experienced a crime type, expressed as a percentage of all households. (b) Survey error should be taken into account when analysing changes across the different time points. For more information on survey error, refer to the Technical Note .



© Commonwealth of Australia 2020





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