Cyprus crime figures mixed in 2005

Are sex crime figures under-reported?

The number of offences reported to the police fell by 403 in 2005, to 7,212 from 7,615 in 2004, according to the latest figures from the Statistical Service.

However, the number of convictions rose by a rather larger 1,351, to 59,889 from 58,538 in 2004.

Among “major offences” recorded, the biggest rise was seen in motor offences, up 7,061 to 34,763, from 27,702 in 2004.

Apart from sexual offences, all other major offences (against public order, property and the person) showed a decline.

Sexual offences, which have shown a steady increase from a low of 11 in 2001, rose to 45 in 2005 from 32 in 2004.

However, the figure for sex offences is far smaller than the 78 cases reported to the police by the women’s refuge and support centre, Apanemi, in the same year.

“We had 226 incoming calls related to sexual harassment or sexual offences in 2005. Of these, 78 people wanted to proceed and report the offences to the police,” said Apanemi’s Julia Kalimeri.

Asked why the police had recorded only 45, Kalimeri said that this is because it is the police, rather than any independent body, who decide in the vast majority of cases whether to pursue a case.

“The police decide if it is an offence. They are not trained to recognise sexual abuse so they often decide not to pursue. This is a weak point in the system and we suspect that the figures would be much higher if the police reported all records of claims which are recorded in their daily logs,” she said.