Crimes related to domestic violence increased by seven per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year, a new report has shown.
An annual crime review for 2024 - written by Crimemalta Observatory - revealed there were 2,225 registered domestic violence cases, which make up 13.4 per cent of all crimes.
"Domestic violence sees no end in sight as figures increase on an annual basis," the report said.
The increase may be related to the increased number of reports of the crime.
Last year, figures tabled in parliament showed that reports increased from 1,645 in 2022 to 2,071 in 2023.
Malta has the highest rate of reporting domestic and gender-based violence in the EU according to Eurostat figures published in November 2024.
Around three-fourths of cases were related to psychological harm.
The figures also show there was a 26 per cent increase in cases that resulted in grievous harm by physical force from the previous year.
Since 2008, there has been a 394 per cent increase in domestic violence crimes: from 450 cases in 2008 to 2,225 in 2024.
Crime rates remained the same
Overall, the report found that, compared to 2023, the crime rate remained the same, dropping only by 1 per cent.
In 2024, 16,662 crimes were registered against a population of 563,443 people. This means that 30 crimes were committed for every 1,000 people last year, compared to 2023, when 31 crimes were committed for every 1,000 people.
Looking at data collected over two decades, the figures show a decline in the total number of registered crimes, even though the population continued to increase.
In 2004, a total of 46 crimes were committed for every 1,000 people.
Theft was the most common crime
Although figures show that crime rates are declining, there has been an increase in crimes related to arson, bodily harm, breach of bail, animal cruelty, drugs, environmental crime, forgery, pretended rights and theft.
The highest reported offence in 2024 was theft, making up 31.3 per cent of all offences (5,218 theft reports), which is a 10 per cent increase from 2023.
Following theft, damages catered for 18.4 per cent and fraud registered 14.4 per cent of all crimes in 2024.
"When compared to the EU average, Malta is among the safer countries, placed in the lower league for theft and sexual violence," the report said.
Although crime reports have gone down over the past two decades, one crime that has not decreased is fraud, registering a 1,396 per cent increase: from 160 cases in 2004 to 2,394 cases in 2024.
In 2024, fraud accounted for 14.4 per cent of all crimes, dropping by 511 cases from the year prior.
Drug-related crimes have increased by 177 per cent since 2004: from 78 cases in 2004 to 216 cases in 2024.