Sexual assault reports have surged on the Coffs Coast, new crime stats reveal
A sudden and “remarkable” spike has been revealed in new crime statistics – but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. See all the crime figures here.
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Reported cases of sexual violence have skyrocketed on the Coffs Coast – but it’s not necessarily a bad thing, according to crime researchers.
In the month of March 2021 alone, the Coffs Coast experienced a sudden surge of more than 60 per cent of victims reporting sexual violence to police.
According to the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research the curious jump is not necessarily because the crimes have been occurring more often, but instead can be linked to the recent widespread media coverage of high-profile sexual assault allegations.
BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said the “remarkable” spike in March had been experienced across the state as a whole, compared to the monthly average, with many victims becoming more willing to report the crimes.
The jump was however not experienced uniformly across the state, with the Coffs Coast recording one of the highest jumps compared to other LGAs.
It occurred after former political staffer Brittany Higgins came forward with an allegation she was raped by a colleague in Parliament House in February, triggering nationwide protests dubbed March 4 Justice.
There were powerful scenes in Coffs Harbour at the local March 4 Justice event as hundreds gathered at City Square for the protest. People from all walks of life could be seen brandishing placards with bold messages like “victims never forget”, “death to the patriarchy” and “imagine if all the rapists turned blue overnight.”
In March there was a 61 per cent surge in reports of sexual assaults across the NSW population overall. It was found that most reports were made by females.
“Typically only around 10 per cent or 15 per cent of adult sexual assault victims report to police. The March 2021 increase shows that, under the right conditions, more victims will come forward,” Ms Fitzgerald said.
According to the latest crime figures released on Thursday, during the two-year period ending March 2021 overall, there was an increase of 26.2 per cent of sexual assault victims coming forward to police in Coffs Harbour.
There was also a rise of 34 per cent in victims reporting indecent assault and other sexual offences, and 16.4 per cent of victims reporting domestic violence assaults.
Meanwhile, the latest round of crime statistics revealed property crimes have been on a downward trend, with break and enters falling by 44 per cent, and shoplifting by 37.8 per cent over the two years.
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