Victims of offences reported to the police, 2007

Of the 398 000 offences reported to the police in 2007, 47 per cent were registered with a person as victim, and 16 per cent were registered as committed against enterprises or other juridical units. 37 per cent, of which two third narcotic- and traffic offences were without a registered victim(see figure). Of all crimes reported to the police, 62 per cent were registered with a person as victim, contrary to only 15 per cent of all reported misdemeanours.

Fewer offences for profit against person and enterprise

Theft and other offences for profit make about two thirds of all offences reported to the police against both persons and enterprises, and the police criminal record system shows that 130 000 offences for profit were committed against persons and 42 500 against enterprises. The number of offences for profit had a decrease from the previous year (see offences reported to the police ), and the statistics on victims of offences, reported to the police, shows that enterprises had a larger percentage decrease (5 per cent) than persons (2 per cent).

Different age groups are victims of different groups of offences

How many are exposed to, and what type of offence one are exposed to, varies by sex - but to an even larger extent by age (see also Survey of level of living, victims and crime ). Of all victims (persons) in the reports to the police, 58 per cent are males, and young adults have a far higher risk of being registered as victim of offences than the youngest and oldest in the population. 3.6 per cent of the Norwegian residents were registered as victim of offences in 2007, whilst 7 per cent in the age group 20-29 years.

Because the victims of offences for profit make such a large proportion of the total, it is the distribution of victims by age and sex for these offences which dominates the registered statistics on victims in Norway. Looking at the separate age groups and distribution by principal group of offence, we find some relatively clear patterns and inequalities: More than 70 per cent of victims in the age group 0-9 years have been exposed to sexual- or violent offences. The corresponding proportion of victims in the other age groups is decreasing by increasing age. For example, 28 per cent of victims in the age group 10-19 years have violent- or sexual offences as principle offence, whilst the corresponding proportion is 3 per cent among victims of offences in aged 80 or older. The opposite pattern can be found relative other offences for profit and to certain extents damage to property, economic- and traffic offences (see figure).

More victims of violence and new types of violent offences

In 2007, 21 700 persons were registered as victims of violence and threats - almost 2 per cent more than in 2006. During one and a half year there has been a change in the registration of victims of violent offences, after the new regulations (into force 1.1.2006) on ill-treatment in family relations were possible for the police to register in the criminal record system (from 11.5.2006 included). The change is especially large for female victims and the different types of physical violence - with a large increase in ill-treatment in family relations and decrease in assault and wounding or inflicting bodily harm. Males did not reach the same level, but there was a considerable increase in the number of male victims for wounding or inflicting bodily harm (7 per cent). The number of victims for physical violence - when we look at ill-treatment in family relations and crime of violence against the person as a total - increased however more for females (5 per cent) than males (2 per cent). In addition to the increase of victims for these violent offences, female victims of threats increased by more than 4 per cent, in difference to males with a decrease of 5 per cent.

Type of violence differs by age and sex

Differences in sex are relatively large in exposure for wounding or inflicting bodily harm (85 per cent males) and assault (64 per cent males), but not among victims of threats (53 per cent males). Females are strongly over represented among victims of ill-treatment in family relations (including serious, 84 per cent females) and among victims of sexual crimes (86 per cent) (see figure).

From reports to the police the risk of being exposed to violent offences is clearly highest during the first years after reached the age of 18. This is the case for both males and females - and in the age groups 18 to 21 years included more than 2 per cent of all males, and more than 1 per cent of all females, registered as victim of violence or threats during 2007. For both sexes the exposure of violent offences are being reduced systematically by increasing age(see figure). One fourth of all victims exposed to violent offences are under the age of 20 years, and more than half are under the age of 30 years. The proportion of victims under the age of 30 is smaller among females than among males (50 and 58 per cent respectively).

Theft from Oslo residents, females in particular, in public places

Oslo has a much larger proportion of the population (4.8 per cent) being exposed to offences for profit, than residents in all other counties (see figure), and from 2006 to 2007 there was a considerable increase in the number of reported incidents of theft from person in public places (33 per cent). From principle offence in 2007, 2 600 males and 4 300 females living in Oslo were exposed to theft from person in public place, respectively 27 and 34 per cent more than the previous year.

Tables:

• Table 1 Offences reported to the police, by type of victim, category of offence and group of offence. 2007. Absolute figures
• Table 2 Victims (persons), by number of offences, sex and age. 2007. Absolute figures and per cent
• Table 3 Victims (persons), by sex, age and place of residence (county). 2007. Absolute figures and per 1 000 population
• Table 4 Victims (persons), by category of offence, group of principal offence, sex and age. 2007. Absolute figures and per 1 000 population
• Table 5 Victims (persons), by category of offence, group of principal offence and one-year age group. 2007. Absolute figures
• Table 6 Victims (persons), by category of offence, group of principal offence and one-year age group. 2007. Per 1 000 population
• Table 7 Victims (persons), by category of offence, group of principal offence and place of residence (county). 2007. Absolute figures and per 1 000 population
• Table 8 Victims (persons), by sex, age and type of principal offence. 2007. Absolute figures
• Table 9 Victims (persons), of offences for profit, by sex and one-year age group. 2007. Absolute figures and per 1 000 population
• Table 10 Victims (persons) of offences for profit, by sex, age and place of residence (county). 2007. Absolute figures and per 1 000 population
• Table 11 Victims (persons) of offences for profit, by number of offences for profit, sex and age. 2007. Absolute figures and per cent
• Table 12 Victims (persons) of offences of violence, by sex and one-year age group. 2007. Absolute figures and per 1 000 population
• Table 13 Victims (persons), of offences of violence, by sex, age and place of residence (county). 2007. Absolute figures and per 1 000 population
• Table 14 Victims (persons), of offences of violence, by number of offences of violence, sex and age. 2007. Absolute figures and per cent