Knife the weapon of choice
MX (Melbourne), Page: 12. Wednesday, 3 December, 2008
You are now far more likely to be murdered with a knife than a gun, new Australian crime statistics reveal. And if you are murdered, it will probably happen in your own home at night.
Some 44 per cent of homicide victims were killed with a knife or other sharp instrument in 2006-07, the highest proportion of knife deaths since the national homicide monitoring program began 18 years ago.
Only 11 per cent of murder victims were killed with a firearm, the lowest proportion on record and down 4 per cent on 2005-06.
Shooting deaths peaked in 1993, when 29 per cent of victims were killed by a gun.
“The data reflects the general trend towards a lower proportion of homicides using firearms and a higher proportion using knives,” said Judy Puff of the Australian Institute of Criminology.
The statistics show homicide rates have fallen by a third in the past six years.
The institute ‘s annual report said that was mainly due to a decrease in the number of males, especially indigenous men, killing friends and acquaintances.
There were 266 murders in Australia in 2006-07, down 45 on the previous year.
The majority of victims and perpetrators were men.
There were 185 male victims and 81 females killed, while on the offending front, 242 perpetrators were male and 54 were female.
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