Media Release: Crime Statistics Agency releases 2020-21 Victorian Family Violence Database

The Crime Statistics Agency has today released key family violence measures from the 2020-21 Victorian Family Violence Database.

For the first time, the Database includes additional data on sexual assaults in Victoria (External link), in response to the Victorian Government’s commitment to building the evidence base under the Family Violence Reform Rolling Action Plan 2020-2023. This provides insights into alleged offender and victim characteristics, as well as a summary of geographic trends across the state.

A summary of trends in Victorian family violence data throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is also included in the COVID-19 Family Violence Data Portal (External link).

Key findings:

• Over one third of sexual offences recorded in Victoria related to family violence.
• Of the 12,362 alleged sexual offenders recorded by police in the three years to June 2021, over half were also recorded for family violence related offences.
• There was an 10.8% increase in the number of sexual offences recorded by police, up from 13,589 in 2019-20 to 15,062 in 2020-21.
• Consistent with previous research, less than half of all sexual offence incidents result in an alleged offender being charged by police.
• Overall, the number of family incidents recorded by Victoria Police increased by 6% from 82,205 in 2019-20 to 93,440 in 2020-21. Larger increases were seen in the number of incidents recorded between former partners (up 8%) and where the victim was the child of the alleged perpetrator (up 14%).
• During June and October 2020, as lockdowns eased, the number of family violence incidents and family violence related criminal offences recorded by police was statistically higher than would be expected based on historical trends.

Crime Statistics Agency Chief Statistician, Fiona Dowsley, noted the value of publication of sexual assault data through the Family Violence Database.  

“For the first time, this year’s database provides an in-depth look at sexual assault data in Victoria, including the overlaps between family violence and sexual assault” Ms Dowsley said.

“Monitoring and publication of this data is important for increasing understanding so responses to both sexual assault and family violence can continue to be improved.”

For further information please contact:

Crime Statistics Agency   

Email: info@crimestatistics.vic.gov.au (External link)