Global Report on Human Settlements 2007 - PoA-ISS

Urban crime and violence: Conditions and trends
57
The survey data generally shows declining rates of
burglary for all regions, with the exception of Western
Europe, with relatively dramatic drops in Africa, Asia and
Latin America. Police-reported data for EU countries shows
an average decrease of 10 per cent in domestic burglaries for
the period of 1997 to 2001, and no change in burglaries for
the period of 2001 to 2002. 47 Despite the reported
decreases, African nations, and especially African urban
areas, still have the highest reported overall levels of
burglary, with victimization rates of over 8 per cent of the
population in sub-Saharan Africa (see Figure 3.12).
Although a non-violent crime, burglary is a very
serious offence in developing regions such as Africa, given
the fact that people generally have fewer goods in the first
place. More Africans believe that they will be victimized by
burglary than people in any other region. Nonetheless, the
reporting rate for burglary in Africa is 55 per cent, with only
Asia reporting a lower rate of 40 per cent. Other reporting
rates are 84 per cent for Oceania, 72 per cent in Europe and
59 per cent in the Americas. 48 <strong>Report</strong>ing rates for burglary,
like many other crimes, tend to be related, in part, to the
perceived competence and integrity of the police and public
authorities by citizens.
Intimate partner violence and child abuse
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has global, national and local
significance as a type of contact crime that may culminate in
homicide, assaults and property damage or public order
offences. It is aggressive, violent, coercive and threatening
behaviour from a spouse, dating partner or ex-partner that
often entails psychological abuse. Also known as domestic
abuse, IPV negatively affects many intimate relationships and
families worldwide. Due to the sensitive and personal nature
of exposure to domestic violence, many victims do not
report the crime to authorities. 49 Surveys in the UK show
there were almost 500,000 official reports of domestic
violence in 2000. Furthermore, 4 per cent of women and 2
per cent of men were victims of non-sexual domestic
violence during 2001. 50 A national study within the US
estimates that 29 per cent of women and 22 per cent of men
are victimized by IPV (including physical, sexual and psychological
abuse) during their lifetime. 51
<strong>Global</strong>ly, women are significantly more likely than
men to be victims of IPV. A recent international study by the
WHO interviewed over 24,000 women from ten different
countries about their experiences with intimate partner
violence. The majority of women (between 51 and 71 per
cent) from Peru, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Bangladesh reported
experiencing physical or sexual violence from an intimate
partner. Women in other countries reported less physical or
sexual violence from a partner, such as Brazil (29 per cent),
Namibia (36 per cent) and Japan (15 per cent). Sexual
victimization was less common than physical abuse by an
intimate partner for most women. However, between 30 and
56 per cent of victimized women experienced both physical
and sexual assaults from a partner. 52 Box 3.1 illustrates the
plight of women in South Africa, including some of the
underlying risk factors associated with IPV.
Per 100,000 inhabitants
Percentage
300
250
200
150
100
50
8
6
4
2
0
0
Selected countries
with high robbery rates
All countries
of the world
European
Union
North
America
1980 1985
1990 1995
2000
Latin
America
Africa Asia Eastern
Europe
Australia
North Western
America Europe
Factors predictive of women’s increased likelihood of
being victimized by an intimate partner include age (younger
women are at a higher risk); lower socio-economic status;
less education; childlessness; less social support; and
exposure to abuse in the family of origin. Factors predictive
Recorded crime per 100,000 population
500
400
300
200
100
0
Figure 3.8
Trends in reported
robbery per 100,000
individuals (selected
regions)
Source: Shaw et al, 2003, p.50
Figure 3.9
Victimization rates for
robbery (one-year
period)
Source: adapted from del Frate,
2003, p132
Note: Data indicates percentage
of population robbed
during a one-year period. Data
recorded in years between
1989 and 2000.
Figure 3.10
Police-recorded
robbery
Source: UNODC, 2005b, p60
South America
Southern Africa
West and Central Europe
Central America
North America
Caribbean
Oceania
East Europe
Cental Asia and
Transcaucasian countries
North Africa
East and Southeast Asia
East Africa
Southeast Europe
South Asia
North and Middle East
Southwest Asia