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Where a victim and suspected offender are recorded for a crime (i.e., for detected incidents) it is possible to link a victim and suspected offender to produce a limited profile (i.e., age and sex) of the victim and suspected offender relationship. Table 4.1 therefore differs from Table 2.1 in that the former refers to detected crime and the latter refers just to crime incidents reported to An Garda Síochána.
In 2021, just over one in five (22%) detected Sexual offences in 2021 involved both a male suspected offender and male victim and this compared to 29% in 2020. Three out of four (76%) detected Sexual offences in 2021 involved a male suspected offender and a female victim and this was up from 69% in 2020. See Figure 4.1 and Table 4.1.
In 57% of detected Murder or Manslaughter crimes recorded in 2021, the suspected offender and victim were both male compared to 70% in 2020. In a further 38% of cases in 2021, the suspected offender was a male, and the victim was a female compared with 15% in 2020. See Figure 4.1 and Table 4.1.
In the remaining category – detected Attempts/Threats to Murder, Assaults, Harassments & Related offences - the suspected offender and victim were male in just over half (51%) of detected crimes. Three out of ten (30%) of such detected crimes involved a male suspected offender and female victim. Within this category, much the same share of detected Attempts/Threats to Murder (51%) and Assault (52%) crimes involved both a male suspected offender and victim. However, a higher share of Attempts/Threats to Murder offences (43%) involved a male suspected offender and female victim than Assault offences (29%). See Figure 4.1 and Table 4.1.
In Harassment & Related offences however, just over half (51%) of detected crimes involved a male suspected offender and female victim and just over a quarter (26%) of such offences involved both a male suspected offender and victim. See Figure 4.1 and Table 4.1.
| Male suspected offender and male victim | Male suspected offender and female victim | Female suspected offender and male victim | Female suspected offender and female victim | |
| Murder or Manslaughter offences | 57 | 38 | 5 | 0 |
| Sexual offences | 22 | 76 | 1 | 1 |
| Attempts/Threats to Murder, Assaults, Harassments & Related offences | 51 | 30 | 7 | 12 |
A third (33%) of detected Sexual offences in 2021 involved a victim who was under 18 years and a suspected offender who was aged 30 years or more when the offence occurred. This same age cohort of suspected offenders were responsible for 13% of Sexual offences against victims aged 18-29 years and 11% of offences against victims who were at least 30 years at the time of the offence. See Figure 4.2 and Table 4.2.
Nearly four in ten (38%) detected Sexual offences involved a suspected offender and victim who were both aged under 30 years at the time of the offence and 12% involved a suspected offender and victim who were under 18 years at the time of the offence. See Figure 4.2 and Table 4.2.
| X-axis label | Suspected offender aged under 18 | Suspected offender aged 18-29 | Suspected offender aged 30 and over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime victim aged under 18 | 12 | 13 | 33 |
| Crime victim aged 18-29 | 1 | 12 | 13 |
| Crime victim aged 30 and over | 1 | 5 | 11 |
Turning to detected Homicide offences, the suspected offender was at least 18 years of age for nine out of every ten (90%) offences. Less than half (45%) involved a suspected offender and victim who were at least 30 years of age when the offence occurred. The suspected offender and victim were aged 18-29 years at the time of the offence for about one in ten (11%) of Homicide offences in 2021. See Figure 4.2 and Table 4.2.
The profile for detected Attempts/threats to Murder, Assaults, Harassments & Related offences was somewhat similar to Homicides offences, where the suspected offenders and victims both tended to be in the higher age groups. Nearly four in ten (39%) offences involved a suspected offender and victim who were at least 30 years old at the time of the offence. Three in ten (30%) of offences involved a suspected offender aged 18-29 years and victims who were at least 18 years of age. The suspected offender was aged under 18 years at the time of the offence for 16% of all offences. See Figure 4.2 and Table 4.2.
Just over half (52%) of detected Harassment & Related offences in 2021 involved the suspected offender and victim both being aged at least 30 years.
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