Just over half of Dallas’ assault victims this year have been women and girls of color, according to data maintained by the City of Dallas.
Citywide, there have been 24,753 assault offenses committed in 2023 as of December 14. Of that total, 14,710 of the victims were female, roughly 59.4%, per the City of Dallas victim demographics dashboard. The median age is currently 32. Out of the 14,710 female victims, 7,448 have been black, and 4,954 have been Hispanic or Latina, accounting for 50.1% of all assault victims this year.
Only five of the 14 Dallas City Council districts had more than 1,000 assaults logged in which the victim was a black or Hispanic/Latina woman or girl. Assault offenses in Dallas comprise three categories: aggravated assault, simple assault, and intimidation.
Council Member Adam Bazaldua’s District 7 had the most incidents, clocking 1,618, followed by Council Member Carolyn King Arnold’s District 4 at 1,507. District 8, which Council Member Tennell Atkins represents, had the third-most with 1,480. Behind those three are Districts 6 and 3, which logged 1,148 and 1,068, respectively. District 6 is represented by Council Member Omar Narvaez, and District 3 is represented by Council Member Zarin Gracey.
The Dallas Police Department has been implementing a data-driven targeted approach to tackling violent crime. However, it has been hampered by the department’s officer shortage. There are currently only around 3,000 officers being fielded in Dallas despite a City analysis recommending roughly 4,000 to properly maintain public safety. Relatedly, Downtown Dallas has been seeing higher crime rates than Fort Worth’s city center, which is patrolled by a designated police unit alongside private security guards.
