Experience of domestic violence

Population groups and characteristics of violence

• Age group

  Does the proportion of women with disability who experienced family or domestic violence vary by age?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of women with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced family or domestic violence since age 15, compared with women without disability, grouped by age. In 2016, 57% of women with disability aged 25–44 reported they had experienced family or domestic violence since age 15, compared with 30% of those aged 65 and over.

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  Age group	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  18–24	47%	(37.8%–56.5%)	24%	(19.4%–27.7%)
  25–44	57%	(53.1%–61.8%)	32%	(29.7%–33.8%)
  45–64	50%	(47.0%–53.8%)	35%	(32.7%–36.8%)
  65 and over	30%	(27.0%–32.5%)	21%	(18.5%–23.3%)
  All ages	44%	(42.8%–46.2%)	30%	(28.9%–31.4%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to females aged 18 and over.
  2. Family or domestic violence is defined as: emotional abuse by current or previous partner; and/or physical or sexual violence by family member (parent, child, sibling, other relative or in-law) or intimate partner (current or previous partner; boyfriend, girlfriend or date; ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend).
  3. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  4. Disability status is recorded as at the time of interview, not at the time violence occurred.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2017. Microdata: Personal Safety Survey, Australia, 2016, ABS cat. no. 4906.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 19 May 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Personal Safety Survey (PSS) | Data source overview
  

• Cultural and linguistic diversity status

  Does the proportion of women with disability who experienced family and domestic violence vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of women with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced family or domestic violence since age 15, compared with women without disability, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2016, 29% of women with disability from CALD backgrounds reported that they experienced family or domestic violence since age 15, compared with 48% among the non-CALD group.

  More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

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  Cultural and linguistic diversity status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  CALD	30%	(24.7%–34.5%)	18%	(15.0%–20.3%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  CALD – high English proficiency	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  Non-CALD	58%	(55.0%–60.9%)	37%	(35.1%–38.3%)
  All persons	52%	(49.6%–55.0%)	31%	(30.2%–32.8%)
  Aged 65 and over
  CALD	28%	(19.7%–37.2%)	24%	(14.8%–33.3%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  CALD – high English proficiency	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  Non-CALD	30%	(26.9%–33.1%)	20%	(17.6%–22.9%)
  All persons	30%	(27.0%–32.5%)	21%	(18.5%–23.3%)
  Aged 18 and over
  CALD	29%	(24.6%–33.9%)	18%	(15.7%–20.7%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	*16%	(6.1%–26.4%)	11%	(3.7%–19.1%)
  CALD – high English proficiency	31%	(26.5%–36.1%)	19%	(16.1%–21.5%)
  Non-CALD	48%	(45.9%–50.0%)	34%	(32.9%–35.8%)
  All persons	44%	(42.8%–46.2%)	30%	(28.9%–31.4%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.
  • n.p. (not published) Category has been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

  1. Restricted to females aged 18 and over.
  2. Family or domestic violence is defined as: emotional abuse by current or previous partner; and/or physical or sexual violence by family member (parent, child, sibling, other relative or in-law) or intimate partner (current or previous partner; boyfriend, girlfriend or date; ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend).
  3. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  4. Disability status is recorded as at the time of interview, not at the time violence occurred.
  5. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) cohort includes people not born in a main English-speaking country and/or who mainly speak a language other than English at home.
  6. English proficiency is reported for people in the CALD cohort only. Low English proficiency group includes people who mainly speak a language other than English at home and say they speak English 'not well' or 'not at all'. High English proficiency group includes people who mainly speak English at home, and those who mainly speak a language other than English at home and say they speak English 'well' or 'very well'.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2017. Microdata: Personal Safety Survey, Australia, 2016, ABS cat. no. 4906.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 27 September 2022.

  * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.
  n.p. (not published) Category has been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Personal Safety Survey (PSS) | Data source overview
  

• Remoteness

  Does the proportion of women with disability who experienced family and domestic violence vary by remoteness?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of women with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced family or domestic violence since age 15, compared with women without disability, grouped by remoteness. In 2016, 51% of women with disability living in inner regional areas reported they had experienced family or domestic violence since age 15, compared with 42% of women with disability living in major cities.

  More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

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  Remoteness	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Major cities	48%	(45.2%–51.5%)	30%	(28.0%–31.0%)
  Inner regional	63%	(56.9%–68.2%)	39%	(35.0%–42.6%)
  Outer regional and remote	59%	(52.9%–64.7%)	36%	(31.8%–39.3%)
  All areas	52%	(49.6%–55.0%)	31%	(30.2%–32.8%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Major cities	30%	(26.2%–33.0%)	21%	(17.5%–24.3%)
  Inner regional	31%	(23.7%–38.4%)	18%	(11.5%–24.9%)
  Outer regional and remote	*28%	(18.3%–38.6%)	27%	(17.3%–36.6%)
  All areas	30%	(27.0%–32.5%)	21%	(18.5%–23.3%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Major cities	42%	(39.7%–44.4%)	29%	(27.0%–30.0%)
  Inner regional	51%	(46.5%–55.4%)	35%	(31.7%–38.7%)
  Outer regional and remote	48%	(41.4%–54.1%)	34%	(30.4%–38.1%)
  All areas	44%	(42.8%–46.2%)	30%	(28.9%–31.4%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  1. Restricted to females aged 18 and over.
  2. Family or domestic violence is defined as: emotional abuse by current or previous partner; and/or physical or sexual violence by family member (parent, child, sibling, other relative or in-law) or intimate partner (current or previous partner; boyfriend, girlfriend or date; ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend).
  3. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  4. Disability status is recorded as at the time of interview, not at the time violence occurred.
  5. Remoteness is classified according to Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia. Data source does not cover very remote areas.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2017. Microdata: Personal Safety Survey, Australia, 2016, ABS cat. no. 4906.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 27 September 2022.

  * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Personal Safety Survey (PSS) | Data source overview
  

• Disability group

  Does the proportion of women with disability who experienced family and domestic violence vary by disability group?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of women with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced family or domestic violence since age 15, compared with women without disability, by disability group. In 2016, 67% of women with psychological disability reported they had experienced family or domestic violence since age 15, compared with 43% of those with sight, hearing or speech disability.

  More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

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  Disability group	% of women who experienced family and domestic violence since age 15	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Sight, hearing, speech	58%	(52.3%–63.0%)
  Physical	52%	(49.2%–55.8%)
  Intellectual	*65%	(54.3%–75.7%)
  Psychological	69%	(63.1%–74.0%)
  Head injury, stroke or brain damage	*67%	(52.0%–82.6%)
  Type not specified	54%	(49.6%–58.9%)
  All with disability	52%	(49.6%–55.0%)
  Without disability	31%	(30.2%–32.8%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Sight, hearing, speech	28%	(24.2%–31.5%)
  Physical	33%	(29.4%–36.1%)
  Intellectual	*37%	(19.3%–55.4%)
  Psychological	*50%	(34.2%–65.0%)
  Head injury, stroke or brain damage	*40%	(17.2%–63.0%)
  Type not specified	32%	(27.9%–35.7%)
  All with disability	30%	(27.0%–32.5%)
  Without disability	21%	(18.5%–23.3%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Sight, hearing, speech	43%	(39.5%–46.3%)
  Physical	45%	(43.2%–47.7%)
  Intellectual	60%	(50.7%–69.5%)
  Psychological	67%	(61.4%–72.1%)
  Head injury, stroke or brain damage	*58%	(45.7%–71.3%)
  Type not specified	45%	(42.1%–48.6%)
  All with disability	44%	(42.8%–46.2%)
  Without disability	30%	(28.9%–31.4%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  1. Restricted to females aged 18 and over.
  2. Family or domestic violence is defined as: emotional abuse by current or previous partner; and/or physical or sexual violence by family member (parent, child, sibling, other relative or in-law) or intimate partner (current or previous partner; boyfriend, girlfriend or date; ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend).
  3. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  4. Disability status is recorded as at the time of interview, not at the time violence occurred.
  5. Components will not add to total as people may report impairments related to more than one disability group. In such cases, people are counted separately for each disability group but are only counted once in the aggregated total.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2017. Microdata: Personal Safety Survey, Australia, 2016, ABS cat. no. 4906.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 27 September 2022.

  * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Personal Safety Survey (PSS) | Data source overview
  

• Severity of disability

  Does the proportion of women with disability who experienced family and domestic violence vary by severity of disability?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of women with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced family or domestic violence since age 15, compared with women without disability, grouped by disability severity. In 2016, the proportion of women with disability who experienced family or domestic violence since age 15 was 49% for women with severe or profound disability and 44% for women with other disability status.

  More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

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  Severity of disability	% of women who experienced family and domestic violence since age 15	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Severe or profound disability	59%	(53.0%–64.8%)
  Other disability status	51%	(48.1%–54.1%)
  All with disability	52%	(49.6%–55.0%)
  Without disability	31%	(30.2%–32.8%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Severe or profound disability	31%	(23.0%–38.2%)
  Other disability status	30%	(26.7%–32.6%)
  All with disability	30%	(27.0%–32.5%)
  Without disability	21%	(18.5%–23.3%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Severe or profound disability	49%	(44.2%–53.3%)
  Other disability status	44%	(41.8%–45.6%)
  All with disability	44%	(42.8%–46.2%)
  Without disability	30%	(28.9%–31.4%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to females aged 18 and over.
  2. Family or domestic violence is defined as: emotional abuse by current or previous partner; and/or physical or sexual violence by family member (parent, child, sibling, other relative or in-law) or intimate partner (current or previous partner; boyfriend, girlfriend or date; ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend).
  3. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  4. Disability status is recorded as at the time of interview, not at the time violence occurred.
  5. Severe or profound disability means always or sometimes needing assistance or supervision with self-care, mobility, and/or communication.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2017. Microdata: Personal Safety Survey, Australia, 2016, ABS cat. no. 4906.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 27 September 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Personal Safety Survey (PSS) | Data source overview
  

• Type of family and domestic violence

  What types of family and domestic violence did women with disability experience?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of women with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced specific types of family and domestic violence (FDV) since age 15, compared with women without disability. In 2016, 32% of women with disability reported that they had experienced physical family and domestic violence since age 15, 15% reported they had experienced sexual family and domestic violence, and 32% reported they had experienced emotional abuse by a current or previous partner.

  More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

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  Type of family or domestic violence	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Sexual violence	19%	(17.2%–21.4%)	9.0%	(8.3%–9.7%)
  Physical violence	38%	(35.1%–40.6%)	20%	(19.2%–21.3%)
  Emotional abuse	37%	(34.8%–39.3%)	20%	(18.5%–20.8%)
  All types of family or domestic violence	52%	(49.6%–55.0%)	31%	(30.2%–32.8%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Sexual violence	8.0%	(6.3%–9.6%)	5.3%	(4.1%–6.6%)
  Physical violence	21%	(18.3%–23.4%)	13%	(11.0%–15.0%)
  Emotional abuse	21%	(18.8%–23.7%)	15%	(12.9%–17.7%)
  All types of family or domestic violence	30%	(27.0%–32.5%)	21%	(18.5%–23.3%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Sexual violence	15%	(13.9%–16.8%)	8.5%	(7.9%–9.2%)
  Physical violence	32%	(30.1%–33.8%)	19%	(18.4%–20.3%)
  Emotional abuse	32%	(30.0%–33.1%)	19%	(18.0%–20.2%)
  All types of family or domestic violence	44%	(42.8%–46.2%)	30%	(28.9%–31.4%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to females aged 18 and over.
  2. Family or domestic violence is defined as: emotional abuse by current or previous partner; and/or physical or sexual violence by family member (parent, child, sibling, other relative or in-law) or intimate partner (current or previous partner; boyfriend, girlfriend or date; ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend).
  3. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  4. Disability status is recorded as at the time of interview, not at the time violence occurred.
  5. Components will not add to total as people may report more than one type of family or domestic violence. In such cases, people are counted separately for each violence type but are only counted once in the aggregated total.
  6. Data on emotional abuse are collected in regard of current and previous partners only, and not for other intimate partners, family members or relatives.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2017. Microdata: Personal Safety Survey, Australia, 2016, ABS cat. no. 4906.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 27 September 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Personal Safety Survey (PSS) | Data source overview
  

• Relationship to perpetrator

  Who were the perpetrators of family and domestic violence experienced by women with disability?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of women with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced family and domestic violence (FDV) since age 15, compared with women without disability, grouped by relationship to the perpetrator. In 2016, 30% of women with disability reported that they had experienced violence perpetrated by a previous partner, 8.5% reported they had experienced violence perpetrated by a current partner, and 6.0% reported they had experienced violence from their father or mother.

  More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

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  Family or domestic violence perpetrator	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Current partner	9.8%	(8.5%–11.1%)	6.9%	(6.1%–7.7%)
  Previous partner	35%	(32.3%–37.2%)	18%	(17.0%–19.0%)
  Boyfriend or girlfriend or date	12%	(10.2%–13.1%)	7.3%	(6.5%–8.1%)
  Ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend	1.5%	(1.0%–2.1%)	0.8%	(0.5%–1.1%)
  Father/mother	7.3%	(6.0%–8.7%)	3.4%	(2.7%–4.0%)
  Son/daughter	1.1%	(0.6%–1.6%)	0.2%	(0.1%–0.4%)
  Brother/sister	4.7%	(3.3%–6.2%)	1.4%	(1.0%–1.8%)
  Other relative or in-law	4.4%	(3.4%–5.4%)	1.7%	(1.3%–2.1%)
  All types of family or domestic violence perpetrators	52%	(49.6%–55.0%)	31%	(30.2%–32.8%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Current partner	6.2%	(4.6%–7.8%)	3.8%	(2.3%–5.2%)
  Previous partner	20%	(17.3%–21.9%)	14%	(12.1%–16.3%)
  Boyfriend or girlfriend or date	3.9%	(2.8%–4.9%)	2.7%	(1.6%–3.9%)
  Ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  Father/mother	3.5%	(2.4%–4.7%)	1.8%	(0.9%–2.6%)
  Son/daughter	0.7%	(0.3%–1.1%)	n.p.	n.p.
  Brother/sister	0.7%	(0.2%–1.2%)	n.p.	n.p.
  Other relative or in-law	1.8%	(1.1%–2.5%)	1.0%	(0.4%–1.6%)
  All types of family or domestic violence perpetrators	30%	(27.0%–32.5%)	21%	(18.5%–23.3%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Current partner	8.5%	(7.5%–9.5%)	6.5%	(5.8%–7.2%)
  Previous partner	30%	(27.9%–31.2%)	17%	(16.5%–18.5%)
  Boyfriend or girlfriend or date	9.0%	(8.0%–10.0%)	6.7%	(6.0%–7.4%)
  Ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend	0.9%	(0.6%–1.2%)	0.7%	(0.5%–1.0%)
  Father/mother	6.0%	(5.2%–6.9%)	3.2%	(2.6%–3.7%)
  Son/daughter	0.9%	(0.6%–1.3%)	0.2%	(0.1%–0.3%)
  Brother/sister	3.3%	(2.3%–4.3%)	1.2%	(0.9%–1.6%)
  Other relative or in-law	3.5%	(2.8%–4.2%)	1.6%	(1.3%–1.9%)
  All types of family or domestic violence perpetrators	44%	(42.8%–46.2%)	30%	(28.9%–31.4%)

  Notes:

  • n.p. (not published) Category has been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

  1. Restricted to females aged 18 and over.
  2. Family or domestic violence is defined as: emotional abuse by current or previous partner; and/or physical or sexual violence by family member (parent, child, sibling, other relative or in-law) or intimate partner (current or previous partner; boyfriend, girlfriend or date; ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend).
  3. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  4. Disability status is recorded as at the time of interview, not at the time violence occurred.
  5. Components will not add to total as people may report more than one type of perpetrator. In such cases, people are counted separately for each perpetrator type but are only counted once in the aggregated total.
  6. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2017. Microdata: Personal Safety Survey, Australia, 2016, ABS cat. no. 4906.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 27 September 2022.

  n.p. (not published) Category has been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Personal Safety Survey (PSS) | Data source overview