“Family violence refers to violence between family
members, typically where the perpetrator exercises power and control over
another person. The most common and pervasive instances occur in intimate
(current or former) partner relationships and are usually referred to as
domestic violence. Sexual violence refers to behaviours of a sexual nature carried
out against a person’s will. It can be perpetrated by a current or former
partner, other people known to the victim, or strangers.” [Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Family,domestic and sexual violence in Australia, 2018]
Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare, media
release, 28 February 2018:
New
national statistical report sheds light on family violence
The
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released its first
comprehensive report on family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia.
The
report brings together, for the first time, information from more than 20
different major data sources to build a picture of what is known about family,
domestic and sexual violence in Australia. It also highlights data gaps and
offers suggestions to help fill these gaps.
The
report, Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia, 2018,
covers family violence (physical violence, sexual violence and emotional abuse
between family members, as well as current or former partners), domestic
violence (a subcategory of family violence, involving current or former
partners), and sexual violence (a range of nonconsensual sexual behaviours,
perpetrated by partners, former partners, acquaintances or strangers).
‘Women
are more likely to experience violence from a known person and in their home,
while men are more likely to experience violence from strangers and in a public
place,’ said AIHW spokesperson Louise York.
1 in 6
women (aged 15 or above) —equating to 1.6 million women—have experienced
physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner, while for men it is
1 in 16—or half a million men. Three in 4 (75%) victims of domestic violence
reported the perpetrator as male, while 1 in 4 (25%) reported the perpetrator
as female.
Overall,
1 in 5 women (1.7 million) and 1 in 20 men (428,800) have experienced sexual
violence. Most (96%) female victims of sexual violence reported the perpetrator
as male, while male victims reported a more even spilt (49% female and 44% male
perpetrators).
On
average, 1 woman a week and 1 man a month is killed by a current or former
partner.
While
overall the data show that women are at greater risk, certain groups are
particularly vulnerable, such as Indigenous women, young women and pregnant
women.
Children
who are exposed to violence experience long-lasting effects
‘Children
can be victims of or witnesses to family violence—and this early exposure can
heighten their chances of experiencing further violence later in life,’ Ms York
said.
Children
who were physically or sexually abused before they were 15 were around 3 times
as likely to experience domestic violence after the age of 15 as those children
who had not experienced or witnessed violence earlier in life.
Women
who, as children, witnessed domestic violence towards either their mother or
father were more than twice as likely to be the victim of domestic violence
themselves, compared with women who had not witnessed this violence.
Men who
witnessed violence towards their mother by a partner were almost 3 times as
likely to be the victim of domestic violence compared with men who had not,
while men who witnessed violence towards their father were almost 4 times as
likely to experience domestic violence compared with those who had not.
Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people experience higher rates of family violence
The
report shows that Indigenous women were 32 times and Indigenous men were 23
times as likely to be hospitalised due to family violence as non-Indigenous
women and men respectively, while Indigenous children were around 7 times as
likely as non-Indigenous children to be the victims of substantiated cases of child
abuse or neglect.
Two in 5
Indigenous homicide victims (41%) were killed by a current or former partner,
compared with 1 in 5 non-Indigenous homicide victims (22%).
A
significant toll on victims and society
The
report also shows that family, domestic and sexual violence can have a profound
effect on people’s ability to work, health and financial situation.
‘People
who experience domestic violence are likely to need time off work as a result,
and women affected by domestic violence experience significantly poorer health
and mental health than other women,’ Ms York said.
For women
aged 25–44, domestic violence causes more illness, disability and deaths than
any other risk factor, such as smoking, alcohol use, being overweight, or being
physically inactive.
Domestic
violence is a leading cause of hospitalised assault, particularly among women.
In 2014–15, 2,800 women and 560 men were hospitalised after being assaulted by
a spouse or partner.
‘Family
and domestic violence is also a leading cause of homelessness. In 2016–17,
72,000 women, 34,000 children and 9,000 men sought homelessness services due to
family and domestic violence,’ Ms York said.
The
financial impacts are also substantial, with violence against women and their
children estimated to cost at least $22 billion in direct (healthcare,
counselling, child and welfare support) and indirect (lost wages, productivity
and potential earnings) costs in 2015–16.
The
importance of evidence, data gaps and looking forward
AIHW CEO
Barry Sandison said the report was a significant piece of work for the AIHW—and
one with a real human impact. But there’s more to be done.
‘We know
that family, domestic and sexual violence is a major problem in Australia, but
without a comprehensive source of evidence and analysis, tackling such a
complex issue will continue to be difficult,’ he said.
He noted
that while the report was certainly a step in the right direction, its
development had highlighted several areas where future work is needed. For
example, inconsistent definitions of violence in data collections pose a
challenge, as does the limited information available on specific at-risk groups
(such as people with disability), childhood experiences, the characteristics of
perpetrators and the service responses for both victims and perpetrators.
‘It’s
important to note that while looking only at the numbers can at times appear to
depersonalise the pain and suffering that sits behind the statistics, the
seriousness of these issues cannot be overstated,’ Mr Sandison said.
‘This
work is an excellent example of organisations working together to build the
evidence on an important issue. It was achieved through financial support and
collaboration from several Australian Government and state government
departments.’
If the
information presented raises any issues for you, these services can help:
Further information:
Elizabeth Ingram, AIHW: Tel. 02 6249 5048, mob. 0431 871 337
Elise
Guy, AIHW: Tel. 02 6244 1156, mob. 0468 525 418
Report
