One in nine people are victims of cyber crime

Date published: 05 December 2025

New official statistics published today by NISRA statisticians in the Department of Justice, present information on experiences of cybercrime and perceptions of related issues, including modern slavery and sentencing.

Key findings

Cyber crime:

• Around one-in-nine respondents (11%) had been a victim of cyber crime, with a further 37% indicating someone had attempted to commit a cyber crime against them personally.
• Of those who had been victims, 82% reported the incident(s) to someone, up from 73% in 2021/22. The majority (77%) reported it to their bank, building society or credit card company.
• The proportion of respondents who knew where or how to seek advice about cyber security and staying safe online, if needed, rose from 53% in 2021/22 to 56% in 2023/24.
• Latest findings show 43% of respondents were confident that the criminal justice system, government and police deal effectively with cyber crime, falling from 46% in 2021/22. 

Perceptions of modern slavery:

• More than nine-in-ten (92%) respondents felt modern slavery is present in Northern Ireland, unchanged from 2021/22, also 92%. Sexual exploitation (89%) and labour exploitation (85%) were viewed as the most prevalent types.
• The proportion of respondents who felt they would recognise the signs or indicators that someone is a victim of modern slavery has increased, from 40% in 2021/22 to 45% in 2023/24.
• A sizeable majority (93%) stated they would report their concerns of someone being a victim of modern slavery, with the police (87%) being the most likely organisation they would contact.
• Just under half of respondents (48%) felt the courts and police were effective at dealing with modern slavery, down from 52% in 2021/22.

Perceptions of sentencing:

• Respondents were most likely to be aware of a suspended sentence (92%) and a community sentence (80%).
• Eight-in-ten (80%) respondents believed that an offender's circumstances should be taken into account by the courts when handing out a sentence, unchanged from 2021/22.

About this publication

This bulletin presents findings from the Northern Ireland Safe Community Telephone Survey (NISCTS) modules relating to cyber crime; perceptions of modern slavery; and perceptions of sentencing. Results are based on a sample of 3,394 respondents aged 16 and over. 

Further information

Read the full report: R & S Bulletin Cyber Crime Modern Slavery and Sentencing: Findings from the 2023-24 NI Safe Community Telephone Survey