Spatial dark figures of rapes: (In)Consistencies across police and hospital data

The dark figures of crime are occurrences that, by some criteria, are called crime yet that are not registered in the official statistics. According to several studies, only a few rapes are reported to the authorities. The current study, using crime data from Campinas, Brazil, sought to examine the spatial dark figures of rapes through the comparison between the spatial patterns of incidents from an official source (police) and the spatial patterns of incidents from an unofficial source (hospital). We used Kernel density estimation maps, generalized Gini coefficient, and a spatial point patterns test to measure the spatial dissimilarities between both sources. Also, we estimated the likelihood of spatial dark figures of rapes using logistic regression models. The results indicate patterns of spatial dark figures of rapes and its association with the street segment and the neighborhood factors. The findings suggest the potential for partnerships between police and medical services in targeting locations with high levels of rape underreport. In addition, it supports place-based prevention measures.