Violence

Violence offences

Violent offences include all offences that involve the deliberate use or threat of violence against persons. Use of violence against property is excluded.

In the police crime statistics, offences are divided into three categories according to the type and severity of violence:

Severe violence (deliberate): Intentional homicide, murder, manslaughter, infanticide, serious assault, female genital mutilation, robbery with serious harm to the victim (art. 140 para. 4), hostage taking, rape.

Minor violence (deliberate, event. threaten): Common assault, acts of aggression, participation brawl, participation attack, robbery (art. 140 para. 1-3), predatory extortion (art. 156 para. 3), coercion, forced marriage, false imprisonment and abduction, false imprisonment and abduction: aggravating circumstances, indecent assault, violence and threats against public authorities and public officials.

Minor violence (threaten): Threatening behaviour, extortion (art. 156 para. 1, 2, 4).

Violence offences, 2022

 

Offences

Detection

Accused persons

Victims

Total

46 687

83,8%

28 262

37 144

from that severe violence (deliberate)

1 942

84,5%

1 758

1 874

from that minor violence (deliberate, event. threaten)

32 847

85,6%

23 309

28 763

from that minor violence (threaten)

11 898

78,8%

8 795

11 966

State of the database: 16.02.2023
Source: FSO - Police crime statistics (PCS) 2022

Homicides

The following table details the number of homicides committed by instrument used, detection rate as well as the number of accused persons and victims for the years 2009 to 2022.

Detailed data regarding homicides within domestic violence can be found under Domestic violence.

Further information

Tables

Graphs

Data

Press releases

Statistical sources and concepts

Contact

Federal Statistical Office Section Crime and Criminal Justice
Espace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland

Contact

Remark

Our English pages offer only a limited range of information on our statistical production. For our full range please consult our pages in French and German (top right hand screen).

https://www.bfs.admin.ch/content/bfs/en/home/statistics/crime-criminal-justice/police/violence.html