But if you are young, Maori, single, or living in a low socio-economic area, your risk level rises significantly.
The results of the Ministry of Justice’s Crime and Victims Survey were released yesterday, providing a wide-ranging picture of crime and victimisation in New Zealand.
The survey compiled data from 8000 people over the age of 15 about their experiences of crime in the previous 12 months.
It revealed good news for those living in the South Island, with the exception of Canterbury, as the rate of household offences was half the national average.
Household offences include incidents such as burglary, car theft, and property damage.
Just 6% of people in the South had experienced a household offence in the prior 12 months, compared to the national average of 12%.
People in Southland, Tasman and rural areas were less likely to experience crime overall.
Some of the starker figures were linked to domestic and sexual violence.
Nearly one in every six New Zealanders would experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime.
A quarter of New Zealanders would experience sexual violence.
But a staggering 94% of sexual violence was not reported to police.
Otepoti Collective Against Sexual Abuse development co-ordinator Angelo Libeau, of Dunedin, said the main barrier for people not reporting was concern about going through the justice process.
‘‘A lot of people have fear around going to the police because of how they’ll be treated by police, and I know that over the years police have done a lot of work to make that more comfortable.’’
The protracted nature of the court process could be very stressful, he said.
There had been efforts to improve the justice system for victims with initiatives like sexual violence-specific court pilots in the North Island.
Some people also did not want their attacker, who might be a partner or someone known to them, to go to prison, and that could also put them off reporting the crime, he said.
Ministry sector deputy secretary Tim Hampton said the survey data was ‘‘both enlightening and sobering’’.
“The levels of crime being experienced, and the number of victims, is nothing for New Zealand to be proud of.
‘‘The sexual violence data in this report reinforces a lot of what we already know about victims and the level of non-reporting to police. For comparison’s sake, 94% of sexual assaults weren’t reported to police, when 94% of motor vehicle theft was reported.’’
The report also found a clear link between victimisation and socio-economic conditions.
“There is a higher level of victimisation for those under financial pressure, living in more deprived areas, unemployed and not actively seeking employment, and those in single-parent households,” Mr Hampton said.
“Along with the socio-economic deprivation, victims are most likely to be aged between 19-29, Maori, never married, have moderate-to-high levels of psychological distress, lower life satisfaction ratings and lower feelings of safety.’’
