Since the revision of the police crime statistics (PCS) in 2009, detailed statistical information is available on domestic crimes reported to the police as well as on the victims and persons charged.
From a statistical point of view violence in a close social environment is not defined by legal provisions but is derived from the relationship between the accused person and the victim. Consequently, domestic violence can only be defined on the basis of specific criminal offences. For a selection of criminal offences, cantonal police authorities record the nature of the relationship at the time of the incident between the accused person and the victim. If the relationship is an ongoing or former partnership, a parent-child relationship or another relationship within the family, the offences reported by the police are be assigned to domestic violence.
In 2023, 19 918 domestic offences were registered by the police. Compared with the previous year this represents a decrease of 0,3% (- 60 offences).
Share of domestic violence in violence registered by the police
As the PCS’s overall definition of violence does not coincide with that of domestic violence, the share of domestic violence in violence registered by the police can only be established based on domestic offences reported by the police. In 2021 this share was 38%.
Relationship between victim and accused person
The following graphic shows that in 2021, 51% of the 19 341 offences of domestic violence recorded by the police, occurred in an existing and 27% in a former partnership. Table "Domestic violence: Domestic offences reported to the police by relationship" shows the distribution across the different offences by relationship.
Severe violence: victims and accused persons of completed homicide
In the PCS the following SCC articles are grouped together under homicide: art. 111, intentional homicide, art. 112 murder, art. 113 manslaughter and art. 116 infanticide.
In 2023, 25 people of whom 20 were female, died from domestic violence. 64% of the 25 completed homicides took place in an existing or former partnership. The homicides were carried out by 23 accused persons, of whom 20 were male.
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