- 2,899 rape complaints in greater Sydney in the year to September 2017
- 1,993 in Melbourne and 1,446 reports across New York City in 2017
- Australians are possibly more willing to report sex crimes than New Yorkers
Sydney has twice as many rape complaints as New York City and Melbourne has 38 per cent more, shocking new figures reveal.
There were 2,899 rape complaints in greater Sydney in the year to September 2017 and 1,993 in Melbourne.
In 2017 there were 1,446 reports across New York City, which has a population of 8.5million compared to Sydney’s 4million and Melbourne’s 3.8million.
Sydney (pictured) has twice as many rape complaints as New York City and Melbourne has 38 per cent more, shocking new figures reveal
There were 1,446 reports across New York City (pictured) in the whole of 2017, an area with a population of 8.5million compared to Sydney’s 4million and Melbourne’s 3.8million
The discrepancy may be because Australians are more willing to report sex crimes than New Yorkers.
Dr Michael Salter, senior lecturer in criminology at the University of Western Sydney, said that Australians may trust the police more than their American counterparts.
‘I suspect it is around greater willingness to report sexual assault to police,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.
‘There might be an increased cultural willingness to report, and police in Australia may be more receptive to receiving those reports.’
Crime victimization surveys back up this theory, although it’s thought that still only one in ten Australians report sexual assault.
Carolyn Worth of Victoria’s Centres Against Sexual Assault said: ‘We know this is a hugely unreported crime.’
Carolyn Worth of Victoria’s Centres Against Sexual Assault said: ‘We know this is a hugely unreported crime.’ Pictured: Melbourne