BOCSAR statistics reveal Goulburn Mulwaree crime rates stable as drug offences decrease

In particular, drug offences have decreased by more than 40 per cent from 377 reported cases through the year to September 2020 to 223 through the year to September 2022.

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BOCSAR Executive Director Jackie Fitzgerald said cannabis was the most commonly possessed drug in Goulburn Mulwaree followed by amphetamines.

Ms Fitzgerald said the rate of cannabis possession remained stable while amphetamines was trending downwards.

"So that's positive," she said.

Goulburn Mulwaree also differed from a broader trend across NSW which revealed sexual assault reports were 25.9 per cent higher last year compared to five years ago. On average, domestic violence assault reports were also 13.1 per cent higher.

In Goulburn Mulwaree, 32 sexual assault cases were reported to police through the year to September 2022 in comparison to 36 reports through the year to September 2018. However, there was a spike in cases last year with 50 reports to police through the year to September 2021.

While overall the rate of domestic violence cases has remained steady in Goulburn Mulwaree over the past five years, cases have increased from 120 reports to police through the year to September 2018 to 131 through the year to September 2022.

Ms Fitzgerald said the rates of domestic violence in Goulburn were "smack on" the state average.

"Domestic violence does tend to be higher in the regions but that doesn't seem to be the case in Goulburn," she said.

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The Goulburn community has been actively raising awareness for domestic and family violence in recent years with hundreds of students joining a march down Auburn street in November.

At the march, Inspector Matt Hinton said community awareness about domestic and family violence was at an all-time high.

"We don't accept it in our community, we have neighbours and passersby making more reports," he said.

Inspector Hinton said the police were committed to investigating offences and taking the strongest action they could to respond to matters.

If this article has raised any issues for you, please reach out to 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service.

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