6 Rape and forcible indecency

  The number of reported cases for rape has generally remained leveling off until 1996 but turned on an increasing trend after 1997, registering the highest (2,472 cases) in 2003 in the last 20 years. However, the number decreased after 2004 for four consecutive years to 1,766 in 2007 (down by 182 cases (9.3%) from the previous year). The clearance rate declined after 1998, registering the lowest level in the post WWII period at 62.3% in 2002, but turned on a rising trend from 2003, registering 78.9% (up by 4.0 points (id.)) in 2007.
  The number of reported cases in forcible indecency increased rapidly since 1999, registering a post WWII high (10,029 cases) in 2003, and decreased for four consecutive years from 2004 (down by 662 cases (8.0%) in 2007 from the previous year), but still remains at a high level. The clearance rate declined rapidly after 1999, registering a post war record low at 35.5% in 2002, but turned on an rising trend from the following 2003, reaching 46.2% (up by 0.8 points (id.)) in 2007.