Contact Crimes
Attempted Sexual Offences in South Africa
Attempted sexual offences reported to police
Total Attempted Sexual Offences (2025)
1,937
1.7%
Rate per 100k
3
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 4,856 | 8 | — |
| FY2019 | 2,088 | 3 | -57.0% |
| FY2020 | 1,780 | 3 | -14.8% |
| FY2021 | 2,027 | 3 | +13.9% |
| FY2022 | 2,414 | 4 | +19.1% |
| FY2023 | 2,513 | 4 | +4.1% |
| FY2024 | 2,540 | 4 | +1.1% |
| FY2025 | 2,583 | 4 | +1.7% |
Overall change since FY2019: -7.2%
Attempted Sexual Offences by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Cape | 103 | 8 |
| 2 | Eastern Cape | 344 | 5 |
| 3 | Free State | 155 | 5 |
| 4 | North West | 167 | 4 |
| 5 | Western Cape | 304 | 4 |
| 6 | KwaZulu-Natal | 350 | 3 |
| 7 | Limpopo | 201 | 3 |
| 8 | Gauteng | 245 | 2 |
| 9 | Mpumalanga | 68 | 1 |
Top 20 Precincts — Attempted Sexual Offences
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joza | eastern-cape | 7 | 54 |
| 2 | Centane | eastern-cape | 11 | 50 |
| 3 | Dutywa | eastern-cape | 11 | 50 |
| 4 | Taung | north-west | 13 | 49 |
| 5 | Graaff-Reinet | eastern-cape | 6 | 46 |
| 6 | Galeshewe | northern-cape | 14 | 45 |
| 7 | Nemato | eastern-cape | 5 | 38 |
| 8 | Butterworth | eastern-cape | 8 | 37 |
| 9 | Keiskammahoek | eastern-cape | 8 | 37 |
| 10 | De Aar | northern-cape | 3 | 37 |
| 11 | Douglas | northern-cape | 3 | 37 |
| 12 | Malmesbury | western-cape | 7 | 35 |
| 13 | Sterkspruit | eastern-cape | 5 | 33 |
| 14 | Willowvale | eastern-cape | 7 | 32 |
| 15 | Garies | northern-cape | 2 | 31 |
| 16 | Mothibistad | northern-cape | 6 | 31 |
| 17 | Bethulie | free-state | 2 | 29 |
| 18 | Edenburg | free-state | 2 | 29 |
| 19 | Petrusburg | free-state | 2 | 29 |
| 20 | Zastron | free-state | 2 | 29 |
About Attempted Sexual Offences in South Africa
Attempted sexual offences reported to police. In 2025, there were 1,937 reported cases of attempted sexual offences across South Africa, representing a rate of 3 per 100,000 population. This represents a 1.7% increase compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Contact Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Attempted Sexual Offences | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Cape | 137 | 11 |
| 2 | Eastern Cape | 459 | 7 |
| 3 | Free State | 207 | 7 |
| 4 | Western Cape | 405 | 6 |
| 5 | Limpopo | 268 | 5 |
| 6 | North West | 223 | 5 |
| 7 | KwaZulu-Natal | 467 | 4 |
| 8 | Gauteng | 327 | 2 |
| 9 | Mpumalanga | 91 | 2 |