Einar H. Dyvik
Research expert covering Nordics and global data for society, economy, and politics
Crime in Africa - statistics & facts
Crime can take on different forms, including but not limited to violent and organized crime, human and sex trafficking, gender crime, and terrorism. On the African continent, distinct regions are subject to diverse forms of crime. South Africa had the highest crime rate in Africa. The country received a score of 75.5 index points. The crime index is measured based on survey replies on perceptions of crime, safety levels, concerns regarding specific crimes, property, and violent crimes.
Furthermore, out of the top 10 cities riddled with crime on the continent, South Africa had the leading five cities. According to a survey conducted by Afrobarometer, Gabon, Sudan, Cabo Verde, and South Africa's populations believed their governments were not doing enough to tackle and reduce crime. On the contrary, people in Tanzania, Benin, and Botswana reported the highest satisfaction with their government's performance in lessening crime.
Furthermore, out of the top 10 cities riddled with crime on the continent, South Africa had the leading five cities. According to a survey conducted by Afrobarometer, Gabon, Sudan, Cabo Verde, and South Africa's populations believed their governments were not doing enough to tackle and reduce crime. On the contrary, people in Tanzania, Benin, and Botswana reported the highest satisfaction with their government's performance in lessening crime.
Eastern Africa affected by various forms of crime
Since 2000, violent crime in Africa has been following an increasing trend. In 2022, violent attacks aimed at civilians reached their highest at 9,024 events, up from 1,206 in 2000. In addition, police forces in Eastern African countries committed by far the highest number of cases of police brutality on the continent. In 2022, the region registered 191 atrocities by law enforcement officers compared to 21 events in the second-highest area, Western Africa. Moreover, organized crime was also highest in Eastern Africa as of 2021, with an average score of 5.66 index points. A deterioration in organized crime in all African regions was registered between 2019 and 2021, making the continent the second highest globally (following Asia).Forced labor and sexual exploitation are Africa's most common forms of trafficking
Human trafficking was the most widespread criminal market on the continent. In 2022, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) ranked third in the number of detected trafficking victims worldwide, with almost 21,800 casualties. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the majority of the trafficking fatalities in East and West Africa were for forced labor reasons, with 80 and 57 percent, respectively. In Southern Africa, sexual exploitation was the highest form of trafficking, while in West Africa, it was also high, at 48 and 41 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, most sex trafficking victims in Southern Africa were between 30 and 38 years old in the period running from 2003 to 2022. Additionally, the continent has a high prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM). For instance, Somalia, Guinea, Djibouti, Egypt, and Mali had FGM penetration rates greater than 90 percent.South Africa's increasing worry and crime scene
A significant share of South Africans are concerned about violence and crime. As of June 2023, 56 percent of the respondents worried about crime and violence, which placed the country amid the highest countries in the 29 covered states. Since April 2022, South African respondents' troubled by crime has consistently been over 50 percent. This is a result of aggravating levels of crime in the country. For instance, all forms of contact crimes increased (except sexual offenses) in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the same quarter a year prior. However, South Africa had a non-proportional number of convictions for crimes.
