New CSO serious crime figures show there were 32 male victims (84%) and six female victims (16%) of murder or manslaughter in Ireland in 2020.

Both the number and proportion of female victims of murder or manslaughter has fallen in each of the last three years.

However, four out of five (79%) victims of sexual violence crimes, reported to An Garda Síochána in 2020, were female.

Suspected offenders

Almost all (99%) suspected offenders of detected sexual violence that was reported in 2019 were male.

In one in five (20%) cases of detected sexual violence reported in 2019, both the victim and suspected offender were under 18 when the offence occurred.

The proportion of victims of physical assault and related offences who were female (45%) was higher in 2020 than in recent years.

This is attributable to a greater decline in the number of male assault victims than female assault victims during 2020 and may be an effect of COVID-19 lockdowns.