It is true there has been a downward trend in most major crime categories across the Illawarra in 2020.
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The first Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) data released since the COVID-19 pandemic, showed that there had been an increase in only one of the 17 state-wide major crime categories.
Member for Kiama Gareth Ward boasted that 11 of these crime categories had fallen significantly, with the rest remaining stable.
But it is the 10 per cent increase in sexual assault recorded across the state from September 2019 to September 2020, which particularly "concerned and troubled" Illawarra Women's Health Centre general manager Sally Stevenson.
These figures come hot on the heels of the Illawarra seeing a 33 per cent spike in sexual assaults during the period from June 2019 to June 2020.
During this same time frame BOCSAR figures revealed that domestic and family violence in the Shellharbour LGA had risen by over 25 per cent.
It is both disappointing but very worrying that we continue to see in our community and in our society no stop in either domestic and family violence rates or sexual assault rates. That speaks to some really serious underlying cultural issues that need to be addressed urgently.
- Illawarra Women's Health Centre general manager Sally Stevenson
"It is both disappointing but very worrying that we continue to see in our community and in our society no stop in either domestic and family violence rates or sexual assault rates. That speaks to some really serious underlying cultural issues that need to be addressed urgently," Ms Stevenson said.
She said better or more reporting wasn't the reason for the increase in sexual assault rates.
"We know people don't report to the police, so there has to be an element of increased assault quite possibly within domestic and family violence relationships.
"It is very distressing that it is going up. It will have a flow on effect in terms of sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies and the need for an abortion, if that's what the woman chooses.
"The impact of assault is very broad both mentally and physically."
"BOCSAR only catches what is officially reported and there is so much out there that is not and our stats are reflecting an ongoing increase in assaults.
"We expect the rate of assault to at least remain high if not get higher over the holiday period because that is traditionally when rates spike."
A NSW Police spokesperson said while there were complex factors at play regarding sexual assaults, "the upward trend is indicative of the increased willingness of victims to report sexual assaults and proactive policing efforts throughout the Southern Region".
"The priority of the NSW Police Force will always be the health, well-being and desired outcomes of victims. Police rely on the community to report crime, and will continue to take legal action against those responsible.
"In the majority of sexual assault cases, the perpetrator is known to the victim. There has also been a number of historical cases being reported of late, which can be attributed to victims becoming more confident to report."
BOCSAR's latest data showed that NSW's biggest crime category falls were in steal from person (36.6 per cent), steal from motor vehicle (21.9 per cent) and steal from retail store (20.6 per cent).
BOCSAR executive director, Jackie Fitzgerald, said that violent crime appears to be returning to pre-pandemic levels more quickly than property crime.
"Non-domestic assault is now only slightly below 2019 levels. By contrast, in quarter 3 of 2020 break & enter - dwelling was 33% below equivalent 2019 figures, car theft was 17% lower and retail theft was 34% lower."
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