Crime in New Zealand - Characteristics of Victims

Characteristics of Victims

Victim surveys have found that 67% of the population were not subject to any criminal activity, 14% suffered from two or more criminal offences, and 4% had been the victim of five or more criminal activities. Māori have a much higher risk of victimisation than other groups. The figures show that each year around 47% of Māori were victims of crime and Māori were also more likely to be victimised multiple times (4.3 incidents per victim compared with 2.7 for European victims). The risk of victimisation for Māori was particularly high for serious offences, including sexual violence and violence by partners. For example, 8% of Māori women experienced sexual victimisation - twice as high as the national rate for women (4%).

A number of factors contribute to the high rate of victimisation of Maori - such as having a young population and living in the most economically deprived areas. Other risk factors for Māori include being young, being on a benefit, being single, living in a sole-parent household, living in neighbourhoods with high social disorder, and being female. Like other disadvantaged populations, a majority of offences against Māori were not reported to the Police and a large proportion of Māori were unable to name any community service that was available for victims.