Sexual violence Various estimates have been provided in relation to under-reporting of crimes across the world. According to the
American Medical Association (1995), sexual violence, and rape in particular, is considered the most under-reported violent crime. Common reasons for individuals not reporting crime include fear of not being believed, insecurity, and fear of getting into trouble. These reasons are most common for not reporting rape. It is commonly assumed that most of the rape cases go unreported; some estimates go up to or above 90%. (See also
Rape reporting.) Non-recognition of
domestic violence may lead to under-reporting.
Anti-LGBT+ crime Under-reporting of
violence against LGBT people including
homicide is widespread, and is more likely to arise in countries that
criminalise same-sex relationships, especially
regimes that impose the
death penalty for them. Even under democratic
rule of law governance where there are
LGBT rights protections, under-reporting occurs. A US investigation by the
Center for Public Integrity in collaboration with
ProPublica and
News21 found that violent attacks and other
hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans "are consistently not reported and prosecuted because of chronic distrust between the LGBTQ community and police": In Australia, the
New South Wales Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues
A Report into Youth Violence in New South Wales, published September 1995 noted significant under-reporting of
LGBT bullying by victims out of fear of
reprisals, and
outing to their families and peers, that had led the
Department of Education to
underestimate its prevalence:
Child abuse According to the
National Children's Alliance, over 600,000 children in the US were
victims of abuse and neglect in 2021, the most recent year for which there was national data, with the actual number likely under-reported because of the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic in that year. An estimated 1.8 million children received prevention services. Lack of
mandatory reporting of child abuse in certain countries has contributed to under-reporting. In 2024,
27 EU countries did not have mandatory reporting, while child abuse that has occurred in religious institutions such as
in the Catholic Church has been under-reported through
concealment by church authorities. This practice also happens in
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other like institutions. Children themselves may feel unable to report abuse because of fear of
revenge by their abuser, or embarrassment, humiliation, or thinking they would not be believed. Moreover, a child may be
too young to have the words to explain what is happening to them. If the abuser has introduced the child to drugs or pornography, the child may fear getting into trouble. Fear and guilt thus play a role in making the child think they have done something wrong. An abuser may also manifest overt generosity to their victim by showering them with gifts and affection, so the child may irrationally come to
love their abuser and not want to report them.
Fraud In 2012, the universities of
Leicester and
Westminster, while collaborating with
Serious Organised Crime Agency, estimated that 200,000 people had been victims of online dating fraud. The report included instances of under-reported frauds.
Murder Murders are sometimes not reported, due to the fear of the alleged murderer's connection with another murderer, or because of a settlement.
Forced suicide has led to
honour killings going unreported. The reported murder rates in
China have been criticized for under-reporting unsolved murders due to police salaries being based on the rate of solved cases.
Car accidents A 2023 estimate by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 31.9% of injury crashes and 59.7% of property-damage crashes were not reported to police. ==Medicine==