A total of 293 rapes were reported in 2001, the highest number since 1992. In 2000, 240 rapes were reported on O'ahu.

Overall, last year's violent crime total ­ encompassing murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault ­ showed an increase of about 7 percent over the 2000 figure. Property crimes were also up last year, but only by 3.7 percent, from 44,357 to 45,989. The statistics are kept by HPD under the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program.

But it's the rape figures that stand out among the 2001 statistics, which will be part of HPD's annual report due out later this month. Rape is defined in the FBI program as being between a man and woman, said Detective Dennis Kim of the adult sex crimes detail. Police investigate these crimes as first-degree sexual assault, a category that also includes male assaults of other males and adult

assaults of children, Kim said.

Analysis of the past several years show no clear trend, but last year's total is the second highest in a decade of records, topped only by the 326 rapes logged in 1992.

Among the other highlights from the statistical report:

• The number of murders remained unchanged between 2000 and 2001, with 20 recorded for both years.

• Robberies increased slightly, from 984 in 2000 to 1,005 last year.

• Aggravated assaults, which include those in which a weapon is used, stood at 1,141, up from 1,058 the previous year.

• The burglary count rose by about 5.7 percent, from 6,946 in 2000 to 7,340 last year.

• Motor vehicle theft counts were up to 5,597 last year, from 5,214.