Victimisation surveys are a type of research method used in criminology and sociology to gather data directly from individuals about their experiences as victims of crime, regardless of whether those crimes were reported to the police or other authorities. These surveys typically involve administering questionnaires or conducting interviews with a representative sample of the population, asking them about whether they have been victims of specific types of crimes over a particular period. Victimisation surveys can provide a more comprehensive picture of the extent of crime in a society, including the "dark figure of crime" (crimes that are not reported to law enforcement), and can offer valuable insights into the characteristics of victims, offenders, and the circumstances surrounding criminal events. They complement official crime statistics reported by police and can be used to assess trends in crime rates and the impact of crime on individuals and communities.