Experience of violence

What is being tracked?

Measure: Proportion of adults with disability aged 18 years and over who have experienced violence, compared with adults without disability

The Strategy would like to see the following tracked – proportion of people with disability aged 15 years and over who have experienced violence, compared with people without disability. Available data do not currently allow this.

This measure is part of the Safety from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation priority of the Strategy. This priority is about making sure services for people with disability are high quality and safe, and that people with disability are safe.

The desired outcome is that the gap between the proportion of people with and without disability who experienced violence is reduced.

The methodology for this measure has been revised. Previously, the measure reported on experiences of violence since age 15. From January 2025, reporting of summary and trend for this measure looks at experiences of violence in the previous 3 years.

Last updated:

Outcome area: Safety, rights and justice Priority: Safety from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation

  • Baseline value

    12%with disability in 2021–22

    9.7%without disability in 2021–22

  • Latest value

    12%with disability in 2021–22

    9.7%without disability in 2021–22

Status not known yet more data from after the Strategy started are needed

View the data source

Has the proportion of people with disability who experienced violence changed over time?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence in the past 3 years, compared with adults without disability. Data from 2012 to 2021–22 are used. In 2021–22, 12% of adults with disability reported experience of violence, compared with 9.7% for adults without disability. The baseline used to track change over time is 2021–22.

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

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

State and territory

Does the proportion of women with disability who have experienced violence vary between states and territories?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of women with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence since age 15, compared with women without disability, grouped by Australian states and territories. In 2021–22, 66% of women with disability in the Northern Territory and 47% in South Australia reported they had experienced violence since age 15.

Data for men with disability could not be included in this graph and table due to data quality concerns.

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

# Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points and/or proportion ± MoE equals <0% or >100%.
n.p. (not published) Data not provided due to data quality concerns.

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

Population groups and characteristics of violence

How this measure varies by…

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who have experienced violence vary by sex?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence since age 15, compared with adults without disability, for males and females. In 2021–22, 54% of men with disability reported that they had experienced violence since age 15, as did 50% of women.

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

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

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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who have experienced violence vary by age?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence since age 15, compared with adults without disability, grouped by age. In 2021–22, 63% of people with disability aged 25–44 reported they had experienced violence since age 15, compared with 38% for those aged 65 and over.

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

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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who have experienced violence vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence since age 15, compared with adults without disability, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2021–22, 41% of people from CALD backgrounds with disability reported they had experienced violence since age 15, compared with 54% among the non-CALD group (please note that the proportion for the CALD group has a high margin of error and should be used with caution).

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

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

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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who have experienced violence vary by remoteness?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence since age 15, compared with adults without disability, grouped by remoteness. In 2021–22, 53% of adults with disability living in major cities reported they had experienced violence since age 15, compared with 49% for those living in outer regional and remote areas.

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

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

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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who have experienced violence vary by disability group?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence since age 15, compared with adults without disability, by disability group. In 2021–22, 64% of people with psychosocial disability reported they had experienced violence since age 15, compared with 49% of people with sensory or speech disability.

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

    # Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points and/or proportion ± MoE equals <0% or >100%.
    n.p. (not published) Data not provided due to data quality concerns.

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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who have experienced violence vary by severity of disability?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence since age 15, compared with adults without disability, grouped by disability severity. In 2021–22, 62% of people with severe or profound disability and 51% of people with other disability status reported they had experienced violence since age 15 (please note that the proportion for the severe or profound disability group has a high margin of error and should be used with caution).

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

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

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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who have experienced violence vary by education level?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence since age 15, compared with adults without disability, by highest level of education. In 2021–22, 57% of people with disability who completed a certificate III/IV or diploma reported had experienced violence, and 45% for people who completed Year 11 or below.

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

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

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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who have experienced violence vary by sexual orientation?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who have experienced violence since age 15, compared with adults without disability, by sexual orientation. In 2021–22, 51% of straight (heterosexual) adults with disability reported experiencing violence and 68% for people whose sexual orientation was gay, lesbian, bisexual, or other.

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

    # Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points and/or proportion ± MoE equals <0% or >100%.
    n.p. (not published) Data not provided due to data quality concerns.

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

  • What types of violence did people with disability experience?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced specific types of violence since age 15, compared with those without disability. In 2021–22, 47% of adults with disability reported that they had experienced physical violence since age 15, and 20% reported they had experienced sexual violence.

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

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

  • Have people with disability experienced single or multiple incidents of violence?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced violence since age 15, compared with those without disability, grouped by the number of incidents of violence. In 2021–22, 14% of adults with disability reported that they had experienced violence once, and 39% reported they had experienced violence more than once.

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

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

  • Who were the perpetrators of violence experienced by people with disability?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced violence since age 15, compared with those without disability, grouped by perpetrator type. In 2021–22, 36% of adults with disability reported that they had experienced violence perpetrated by a member of their community and 10% reported they had experienced violence by someone at their workplace or a service provider.

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

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

Where did these data come from?

Data on experience of violence come from survey data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Learn more about these data
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