Crime Stats: Only NW, NC register increases as sexual offences drop
The latest crime figures have revealed a decrease in sexual offences reported to police between April and June this year, as compared to the same period in 2021.
Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday shared the crime statistics for quarter one of the 2022/2023 financial year, where he revealed a drop of more than 800 cases.
He said the latest figures show decreases in total sexual offences such as rape, sexual assault, attempted sexual offences and contact sexual offences.
Over 9 000 rape cases have been recorded.
"Rape itself, 9 516 rape cases were opened with the South African Police Service between April and June 2022”, Cele said.
He said while rape cases declined in most provinces, the North West and Northern Cape provinces are the only provinces that report increases in this crime category.
The minister also revealed that a majority of the rapes occurred in private residences.
“Three-thousand-seven-hundred and eighty of the rapes took place in the homes of the rapists or homes of the victims. One-thousand-five-hundred and forty-six people were raped in public places such as streets, parks and beaches.”
Public transportation such as buses, taxis and trains are the third most likely places for rapes to occur.
Cele said police interventions were beginning to yield tangible results.
“Between April and June this year, 286 rapists were convicted through Saps investigative work done by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit.”
Out of the more than 280 convictions, 46 of the rapists were sentenced.
He said the establishment of a joint project between the police, Forensic Science Laboratories, continues to focus on the prioritisation of court-ready cases, where there are outstanding forensic reports.
[CRIME STATS] #CrimeStats Read it all here 🙃👉🏿https://t.co/UNi4b1cqvf
— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) August 19, 2022
LIQUOR AND DRUGS
According to the police minister, 227 people were killed in places of entertainment such as pubs, taverns and bars between April and June this year.
He revealed that in 749 murder cases, liquor was involved.
“The reality is that liquor was during this reporting period, involved in over 4 000 cases of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.”
Alcohol was also involved in 1 212 rape cases. Cele urged communities, civil society, religious organisations and various community organisations to focus on addressing the role of liquor in the commission of crime.
The police recently hosted a community engagement in Khayelitsha to raise awareness about the problem.
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