1.8 million Pinoy families victimized by common crimes in Q4 of 2018 — SWS

Common crimes in this survey refer to pickpocketing or robbery of personal property, break-ins, carjacking, and physical violence. (Shutterstock photo)

The Social Weather Stations (SWS) released a latest survey, revealing that the number of Filipino families who have been victimized by common crimes increased to 7.6 percent or an estimated 1.8 million during the last quarter of 2018.

“This is 1.5 points above the 6.1% (est. 1.4 million) in September 2018, and the highest since the 7.6 in December 2017,” the pollster said.

Common crimes in this survey refer to pickpocketing or robbery of personal property, break-ins, carjacking, and physical violence.

According to the SWS, 5. 3percent or at least 1.2 million families fell victim to the street robbery during the past six months, while 2.8 percent or an estimated 655,000 families were victimized by break-ins.

Victimization by street robbery remained “highest” in Metro Manila with 10.0 percent, followed by Mindanao at 8.3 percent, and Visayas at 2.5 percent. However, it slightly decreased in Balance Luzon from 3.9 percent in September to only 3.3 percent in December.

The number of families who suffered break-ins rose in Metro Manila with 4.7 percent, Mindanao with 4.2 percent, and Balance Luzon with 2.5 percent. It fell down in Visayas from 2.3 percent to 0.6 percent in December.

The pollster also noted that among those who own any type of motor vehicle, 0.1 percent or 9,000 families said they were robbed of it.

From zero case in September 2018, the carjacking cases rose in Metro Manila at 1.0 percent, while no vehicle-owning families in Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao experienced carjacking.

The latest survey also showed that there were 1.3 percent or 303,000 Filipino families with members hurt by physical violence within the past six months.

The proportion of families victimized by physical violence climbed in Metro Manila at 2.8 percent, Balance  Luzon at 1.4 percent, and Mindanao at 1.1 percent. Cases of this common crime, however, declined in Visayas from September’s 1.7 percent to 0.3 percent.

The SWS has been asking its respondents since 1989 if any member of their household fell prey to street robbery, home break-in, or violence in the last six months. It was in 1992 when the pollster included motor vehicle theft to its list of crimes.

“Except in March 2013 and June 2016 when it was at 10.5% and 11.4% respectively, victimization of families by any common crime has been at single-digit levels from March 2012 to December 2018,” it said.

The latest survey also showed that 61 percent of Filipino adults were fearful of burglary, a nine-point jump from the 52 percent in September 2018.

Meanwhile, more than half them or 54 percent, were found to be fearful of walking the streets at night, which was higher than September’s 46 percent.

The proportion of those who notice many drug addicts in their neighborhood, on the other hand, went down to 39 percent from the 41 percent recorded in June and September last year.

The poll was conducted from December 16 to 19, 2018, using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 Filipino adults nationwide; 360 each from Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.