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How many women and children are murdered in South Africa in a year?


The South African Police Service's annual report recorded 25,204 murders in 2021/22, an increase of 26.6% on the 19,904 recorded in 2020/21. Of the victims, 3,198 were women and 1,082 were children.

Crimes committed against women increased, by 15.6% from 155,062, in 2020/21 to 179,208, in 2021/22. Murder, sexual offences, common assault and attempted murder all contributed to the increase. Crimes against children increased by 13.3% from 39,878 in 2020/21 to 45,197 in 2021/22.

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