The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

DOMESTIC-RELATED cases more than doubled in the first half of the year, surging 125 percent to 825 reports, while sexual offences also increased by 13 percent, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s mid-year crime report.

The domestic figures represent a sharp acceleration from last year, when 367 cases were recorded during the first six months of 2025, compared with 317 over the same period in 2024 — an increase of 16 percent.

Several categories of domestic-related incidents recorded triple-digit increases this year.

Domestic-related assaults rose 118 percent, from 94 cases to 205, while assaults with a deadly weapon increased 267 percent, from three cases to 11.

Requests for assistance jumped 254 percent, from 35 to 124, while disturbances increased 200 percent, from 17 to 51.

General domestic reports rose 173 percent, from 48 to 131, and grievous harm increased 133 percent, from three cases to seven.

Cases of causing harm more than doubled, increasing 106 percent from 50 to 103, while threats of death rose 102 percent, from 42 cases to 85.

Causing damage increased 74 percent, from 31 cases to 54. Harassment rose 54 percent, from 13 to 20, while threats of harm increased 38 percent, from 16 to 22.

Two domestic-related murders were recorded during the first half of the year, compared with one during the same period in 2025. Attempted murders remained unchanged at one.

Some categories declined. Fighting fell 25 percent, from eight cases to six, while threats of arson dropped 50 percent, from two to one.

No domestic-related woundings were recorded, compared with one last year, while trespassing remained unchanged at two cases.

The police figures also show sexual offences increased to 98 cases during the first six months of 2026, up 13 percent from 87 during the same period last year.

Rape reports rose 12 percent, from 25 cases to 28, while unlawful sexual intercourse increased 19 percent, from 57 cases to 68.

Attempted rapes fell 60 percent, from five cases to two.

All 28 reported rape victims were female, and 24, or 86 percent, were younger than 36.

Five rape victims, or 18 percent, were tourists, while three cases, or 11 percent, were classified as domestic-related.

In ten cases, representing 36 percent, the victim knew the alleged assailant.

Police figures show all rape suspects were male, with 13, or 46 percent, younger than 36. Three suspects, or 11 percent, were tourists.

The report cautioned that rape cases may involve multiple suspects.

Of the 68 unlawful sexual intercourse cases, 63 victims, or 93 percent, were female and five, or seven percent, were male.

The alleged assailant was known to the victim in 65 cases, or 96 percent, while 39 incidents, representing 57 percent, occurred at a residence.

The increase in sexual offences reverses the decline recorded during the first half of last year.

The 2025 mid-year report recorded 87 sexual offences, down 30 percent from 125 in the corresponding period of 2024.

Rapes had fallen 24 percent, from 33 in 2024 to 25 in 2025, attempted rapes declined from six to five, while unlawful sexual intercourse fell 34 percent, from 86 cases to 57.