A rise in assaults

The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research's (BOCSAR) quarterly update shows reported cases of domestic violence related assault rose from 94 between March 2029 and 2020 to 104 from March 2020 to March 2021.

78 non-domestic violence related assaults were reported in both time periods, while sexual assaults increased slightly, from 29 to 32 in the past 12 months.

The past year has also seen a rise in reported indecent assaults, acts of indecency and other sexual offences, from 23 to 31.

The statistics reflect a statewide trend, with statistics showing a sharp and unexpected jump in sexual assaults reported to NSW Police in March 2021.

Police recorded 940 sexual assaults in March 2021; 300 more than in February 2021 and 61 per cent more than the monthly average.

In the Central West, there was a 52 per cent increase in the monthly average of sexual assaults.

According to Jackie Fitzgerald from BOCSAR, "the increase appears to be due to a temporary rise in victim willingness to formally report sexual violence".

"The timing of the increase closely aligns with saturation media coverage of numerous sexual assault allegations in late February and March 2021," she said.

Rates of reported stealing offences have fallen across the Hilltops region, with cases "steal from motor vehicle" falling by almost half, from 47 to 24.

Reported cases of "steal from retail store" also nearly halved, from 30 to 18.

There were 20 less reported cases of "steal from dwelling", down from 50 to 30 in the past 12 months.

There were no reported cases of "steal from person", robberies or murders in the last year.

Reported cases of "break and enter dwelling" came in at 53 for both reporting periods, while "break and enter non-dwelling" incidences dropped from 29 to 18.

Reported motor vehicle thefts increased slightly, from 24 to 25, while fraud fell from 61 to 52.

There was an increase in the amount of reported "malicious damage to property" cases, from 181 to 190.