Back Almost 4 000 deaths due to assaults in the EU

25 May 2017

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Out of the 4.9 million deaths reported in the European Union (EU) in 2014, 3 650 (0.07%) were due to assault. The majority of victims were men (64%).

In absolute terms, Germany (377 deaths) and Italy (379) were the two Member States recording the most deaths from assault in 2014, followed by Romania (360), Poland (338), France (322) and Spain (317).

However, for a relevant country comparison, these absolute numbers need to be adjusted to the size and structure of the population.

Assault death rate highest in the Baltic States, lowest in the United Kingdom

With 7.0 assault deaths per 100 000 inhabitants, Latvia registered by far the highest rate among the EU Member States. It was followed by the other two Baltic Member States: Lithuania (3.8 deaths due to assault per 100 000 inhabitants) and Estonia (3.2).

At the opposite of the scale, the lowest rate of deaths due to assault was recorded in the United Kingdom (0.1), Austria (0.4), Germany and France (both 0.5). At EU level, the assault death rate stood on average at 0.7 deaths per 100 000 inhabitants in 2014.

 

Deaths due to assault in the EU, 2014

The source datasets can be found here (rate) and here (absolute number).

Death is due to assault if it results from homicide or injuries inflicted by another person with intent to injure or kill. Legal interventions and operations of war are excluded.