The crime rate among women has hit a five-year high, largely affected by a surge in offenses committed for the sake of livelihood, according to the Ministry of Justice on Monday.

Data released by the ministry’s women and children’s policy team showed that 408,111 women were convicted in 2009, accounting for 16.2 percent of that year’s overall convictions ― the highest proportion in five years.

Previously, the female crime rate had taken the highest proportion of convictions in 2004 at 16.4 percent.

Since 2004, the figure had shown a slight decreasing trend to 15.7 percent in 2005, 15.6 in 2006 and 15.4 in 2008.

Women convicted of fraud formed the majority, with 61,016 cases accounting for 14.9 percent of all female convictions.

Women charged with reckless driving were the next-largest group with 34,669 convictions, or 8.4 percent.

And at 7.3 percent, drunk driving came in close behind with some 29,000 cases.

Women who were convicted of rape numbered 136. Current law does not acknowledge rape by females. According to the ministry, the women convicted may have been charged as an accomplice in rape cases.

Of all the possible infractions, the ministry found that food safety and sanitation was the one field in which women received more convictions than men.

Women took up more than 62 percent with 10,110 cases of all food safety and sanitation violations. The ministry said the high figure was due to the number of women running illegal restaurants.

Crimes committed for livelihood were related to whether or not the women had a spouse.

Female crime rates were also found to correlate with a woman’s relationship status. Only 14.9 percent of the total number of females convicted had a spouse. Convicted women who lived with a partner formed 18.8 percent of those charged. Widows took the biggest share at 48.1 percent, followed by divorcees at 28.5 percent.

“Economic reasons make up the bulk of the motives,” said a ministry official. “Welfare measures need to be put in place so that (women) do not turn to crime under the stress of poverty.”

By Robert Lee (robert@heraldcorp.com)