Easy Prey. Results of the National Youth Victimisation Study

This briefing presents the results of the National Youth Victimisation Study conducted by the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention. The study finds that South African youth aged 12 to 22 are significantly more likely to be victims of crime and violence than adults, with a high prevalence of both violent and property crimes occurring in their homes, schools, and communities.

• Between September 2004 and September 2005, 42% of South African children and youth aged 12 to 22 were victims of crime or violence, affecting approximately 4.3 million young people. This includes assault, sexual assault/rape, theft, robbery, housebreaking, and car hijacking.
• Young people in South Africa are twice as likely to be victims of at least one crime compared to adults. Repeat victimisation is common, with 14% of those interviewed experiencing more than one incident during the 12-month study period.
• Gender and age influence victimisation risks: 46% of males reported victimisation compared to 37% of females (except for sexual assault and rape). Children aged 12-14 and youth aged 18-20 are the most likely to be victims, with older groups more prone to violent crimes like robbery and assault, while younger children more frequently experience theft.
• Theft of personal property was the most common crime, affecting 20% of young people. Assault affected 17%, frequently occurring at school (26%), in the street near shops (21%), or at home (20%), with 90% of victims knowing their attacker. Robbery affected 10% of youth, with perpetrators often being community members (38%) or schoolmates (21%).
• Sexual assault and rape were reported by 4.5% of youngsters, though the document notes that victim surveys often underrepresent these crimes due to the personal nature of the information and the lack of supportive environments during interviewing.
• Crime reporting to police is very low among youth, ranging from 7% for thefts to 16% for assaults, although most victims inform a family member, typically a parent or caregiver.
• Youth are heavily exposed to violence beyond personal victimisation: 60% have witnessed intentional violence in their community, and 20% have witnessed domestic violence at home. Additionally, 50% of youth know someone in their community who commits crime, and nearly 50% of youth have committed criminal acts themselves.

APA

Burton, P. (2006). Easy Prey. Results of the National Youth Victimisation Study. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2006-sacq-no-16/01-jun-2006-easy-prey.-results-of-the-national-youth-victimisation-study-patrick-burton

Chicago

Burton, Patrick. Easy Prey. Results of the National Youth Victimisation Study. Institute for Security Studies, 2006. https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2006-sacq-no-16/01-jun-2006-easy-prey.-results-of-the-national-youth-victimisation-study-patrick-burton.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Burton |first1=Patrick |title=Easy Prey. Results of the National Youth Victimisation Study |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=1 June 2006 |url=https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2006-sacq-no-16/01-jun-2006-easy-prey.-results-of-the-national-youth-victimisation-study-patrick-burton |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{burton2006easy, author = {Burton, Patrick}, title = {{Easy Prey. Results of the National Youth Victimisation Study}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2006}, month = jun, url = {https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2006-sacq-no-16/01-jun-2006-easy-prey.-results-of-the-national-youth-victimisation-study-patrick-burton}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }