Reports of sexual assault in NSW up 42% in five years, new data reveals

Increase could be due to major law reform, such as new affirmative sexual consent laws, expert says

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Reports of sexual assault in New South Wales have risen 42% in the past five years, according to data that also shows a significant" rise in three other criminal offences.

The data, released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (Boscar) in its quarterly update, showed reports of sexual assault had risen by 9.2% each year, on average, since 2019. Reports of sexual assault had increased 42% from 2019 to March 2024.

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup