Rapes and completed homicides rise by 11% in the first half of 2023

Rapes and homicides and completed murders have respectively increased by 11 percent in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the Crime Balance of the Ministry of the Interior. The statistics reflect a 71 percent increase in kidnappings and a 12 percent increase in drug trafficking, while cybercrime increased by almost 20 percent.

From January to June, there were 2,307 crimes of sexual assault with penetration (11%) and crimes against sexual freedom recorded 9,560 incidents (13.2%). Intentional homicides and completed murders rise to 177 (11.3%), while attempted homicides rise to 639 (16.8%). For their part, crimes of injuries and riots reach 12,708 (2.7%) and kidnappings are 65 (71.1%).

The total number of criminal offenses registered in the period from January to June 2023 amounts to a total of 1,190,319 events, of which 972,640 (81.7% of the total) correspond to the category of conventional crime, considering here all forms of crime not committed in cyber space and which presents a variation of 3.1% over 2022.

For its part, cybercrime marks 217,679 criminal infractions, 18.3% of the total, which represents an increase of 19.7 percent over 2022, according to the balance of the Ministry of the Interior, consulted by Europa Press.

Sources from the Ministry of the Interior emphasize that the rise in crime is moderating if the data for the second quarter is compared with the first - from January to March -, which is why they interpret that "there has been a change in trend that is already reducing crime." Specifically, crime rose 7.2 percent in the first quarter and in the second the figure moderated to 5.8 percent.

From the balance of the first half of 2023, it stands out that only the indicator of robberies with force in homes decreases, which records 40,341 incidents (-1.6%), although the increase is 2.3 percent if robberies in establishments and other facilities.

The increase is 8 percent in vehicle theft (15,898 until June), 6.2 percent in thefts (more than 325,000) or 2.9 percent in robberies with violence and intimidation (31,146), according to statistics with information from the Police and Civil Guard, as well as regional bodies and local police.

Interior points out, in this sense, that the indicators related to crimes against property (robberies, thefts and vehicle theft) represent 44.4% of conventional crime.

COMPUTER SCAMS ON THE RISE

The indicator of computer scams (195,769 criminal offenses, which represent 89.9% of all cybercrime and 16.4% of all crime recorded from January to June) presents an increase of 20.9% over the same period 2022. "In just six years, known computer scams in 2022 grew by 378.8% over those registered in 2016," highlights Interior.

Regarding crimes against sexual freedom, the Interior insists that "it must be put, in part, in relation to the active policies of raising awareness and reducing social and personal tolerance against this type of criminal acts", which translate into greater willingness of victims to report them and the reduction of "underreporting levels."

Something similar occurs in the case of drug trafficking crimes, which relate to the actions of the Security Forces and Bodies, citing specific plans such as that of Campo de Gibraltar.