Experience of violence

Population groups and characteristics of violence

• Sex and gender

  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 2016, 48% of men with disability reported that they had experienced violence since age 15, as did 46% of women.

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

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  Sex	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Males	56%	(51.3%-61.2%)	41%	(38.9%-43.9%)
  Females	54%	(51.7%-56.9%)	34%	(32.6%-35.6%)
  All persons	55%	(52.5%-58.0%)	38%	(36.2%-39.2%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Males	32%	(26.5%-38.0%)	23%	(17.0%-29.4%)
  Females	30%	(27.4%-33.4%)	22%	(19.4%-24.4%)
  All persons	31%	(28.0%-34.6%)	22%	(19.3%-25.7%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Males	48%	(44.0%-52.0%)	39%	(36.8%-41.8%)
  Females	46%	(44.1%-47.9%)	33%	(31.2%-33.9%)
  All persons	47%	(44.8%-49.2%)	36%	(34.4%-37.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over.
  2. Violence includes physical assault, physical threat, sexual assault, and sexual threat.
  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
  

• Age group

  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 2016, 62% of people with disability aged 25–44 reported they had experienced violence since age 15, compared with 31% for those aged 65 and over.

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  Age group	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  18–24	49%	(39.7%-58.3%)	36%	(31.0%-40.7%)
  25–44	62%	(57.9%-65.4%)	38%	(36.2%-40.3%)
  45–64	53%	(49.3%-56.4%)	38%	(35.9%-39.8%)
  65 and over	31%	(28.0%-34.6%)	22%	(19.3%-25.7%)
  All ages	47%	(44.8%-49.2%)	36%	(34.4%-37.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over.
  2. Violence includes physical assault, physical threat, sexual assault, and sexual threat.
  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 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 2016, 32% of people from CALD backgrounds with disability reported they had experienced violence since age 15, compared with 50% 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	33%	(27.7%-37.8%)	23%	(19.8%-25.2%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	*25%	(2.0%-47.9%)	*23%	(12.9%-33.6%)
  CALD – high English proficiency	34%	(28.4%-39.8%)	22%	(19.5%-25.2%)
  Non-CALD	60%	(57.1%-63.5%)	43%	(41.7%-45.0%)
  All persons	55%	(52.5%-58.0%)	38%	(36.2%-39.2%)
  Aged 65 and over
  CALD	32%	(22.8%-40.8%)	19%	(13.0%-24.2%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  CALD – high English proficiency	37%	(26.6%-46.5%)	19%	(11.9%-25.6%)
  Non-CALD	31%	(28.0%-34.4%)	23%	(19.8%-27.0%)
  All persons	31%	(28.0%-34.6%)	22%	(19.3%-25.7%)
  Aged 18 and over
  CALD	32%	(28.4%-36.6%)	22%	(19.7%-24.6%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	15%	(5.6%-25.0%)	21%	(11.8%-30.7%)
  CALD – high English proficiency	35%	(30.5%-39.0%)	22%	(19.7%-24.8%)
  Non-CALD	50%	(47.7%-52.6%)	41%	(39.0%-42.3%)
  All persons	47%	(44.8%-49.2%)	36%	(34.4%-37.3%)

  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 people aged 18 and over.
  2. Violence includes physical assault, physical threat, sexual assault, and sexual threat.
  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'.
  7. 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.

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

• Remoteness

  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 2016, 53% of adults with disability living in outer regional and remote areas reported they had experienced violence since age 15, compared with 45% for those 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	52%	(49.0%-55.1%)	37%	(34.8%-38.2%)
  Inner regional	61%	(54.5%-67.0%)	42%	(37.8%-45.6%)
  Outer regional and remote	65%	(56.9%-72.4%)	41%	(35.5%-45.7%)
  All areas	55%	(52.5%-58.0%)	38%	(36.2%-39.2%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Major cities	30%	(25.9%-34.7%)	22%	(19.0%-24.6%)
  Inner regional	32%	(25.4%-39.1%)	19%	(14.1%-24.4%)
  Outer regional and remote	34%	(25.1%-43.6%)	*31%	(17.2%-44.9%)
  All areas	31%	(28.0%-34.6%)	22%	(19.3%-25.7%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Major cities	45%	(42.3%-47.4%)	35%	(33.4%-36.5%)
  Inner regional	50%	(45.3%-55.4%)	39%	(35.2%-42.1%)
  Outer regional and remote	53%	(46.1%-59.5%)	39%	(33.4%-44.2%)
  All areas	47%	(44.8%-49.2%)	36%	(34.4%-37.3%)

  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 people aged 18 and over.
  2. Violence includes physical assault, physical threat, sexual assault, and sexual threat.
  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.

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

• Disability group

  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 2016, 65% of people with psychological disability reported they had experienced violence since age 15, compared with 46% of people with sight, hearing or speech disability.

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

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  Disability group	% of adults who experienced violence since age 15	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Sight, hearing, speech	60%	(54.9%-64.7%)
  Physical	57%	(53.9%-59.3%)
  Intellectual	67%	(59.4%-73.9%)
  Psychological	66%	(60.5%-71.2%)
  Head injury, stroke or brain damage	*73%	(61.3%-84.0%)
  Type not specified	56%	(51.6%-60.8%)
  All with disability	55%	(52.5%-58.0%)
  Without disability	38%	(36.2%-39.2%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Sight, hearing, speech	32%	(27.1%-36.5%)
  Physical	34%	(30.0%-37.9%)
  Intellectual	*44%	(28.8%-59.9%)
  Psychological	*60%	(45.7%-74.9%)
  Head injury, stroke or brain damage	*37%	(17.6%-55.9%)
  Type not specified	33%	(28.3%-38.1%)
  All with disability	31%	(28.0%-34.6%)
  Without disability	22%	(19.3%-25.7%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Sight, hearing, speech	46%	(42.8%-50.0%)
  Physical	49%	(46.3%-50.8%)
  Intellectual	62%	(56.1%-67.9%)
  Psychological	65%	(60.5%-69.9%)
  Head injury, stroke or brain damage	*60%	(48.5%-72.0%)
  Type not specified	47%	(44.4%-50.6%)
  All with disability	47%	(44.8%-49.2%)
  Without disability	36%	(34.4%-37.3%)

  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 people aged 18 and over.
  2. Violence includes physical assault, physical threat, sexual assault, and sexual threat.
  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.

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

• Severity of disability

  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 2016, 49% of people with severe or profound disability and 47% of people with other disability status reported they had experienced violence since age 15.

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

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  Severity of disability	% of adults who experienced violence since age 15	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Severe or profound disability	57%	(51.2%-62.4%)
  Other disability status	55%	(51.8%-58.2%)
  All with disability	55%	(52.5%-58.0%)
  Without disability	38%	(36.2%-39.2%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Severe or profound disability	34%	(26.8%-41.6%)
  Other disability status	31%	(27.1%-34.6%)
  All with disability	31%	(28.0%-34.6%)
  Without disability	22%	(19.3%-25.7%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Severe or profound disability	49%	(44.4%-53.2%)
  Other disability status	47%	(44.2%-49.3%)
  All with disability	47%	(44.8%-49.2%)
  Without disability	36%	(34.4%-37.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over.
  2. Violence includes physical assault, physical threat, sexual assault, and sexual threat.
  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 violence

  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 2016, 43% of adults with disability reported that they had experienced physical violence since age 15, and 16% reported they had experienced sexual violence.

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

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  Type of violence	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Sexual violence	20%	(18.5%-22.1%)	9.9%	(9.2%-10.7%)
  Physical violence	51%	(47.9%-53.7%)	34%	(32.6%-35.2%)
  All types of violence	55%	(52.5%-58.0%)	38%	(36.2%-39.2%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Sexual violence	8.6%	(7.1%-10.1%)	7.5%	(5.9%-9.1%)
  Physical violence	29%	(25.3%-31.9%)	19%	(16.4%-21.9%)
  All types of violence	31%	(28.0%-34.6%)	22%	(19.3%-25.7%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Sexual violence	16%	(14.9%-17.6%)	9.6%	(9.0%-10.3%)
  Physical violence	43%	(40.8%-45.5%)	32%	(30.8%-33.4%)
  All types of violence	47%	(44.8%-49.2%)	36%	(34.4%-37.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over.
  2. Violence includes physical assault, physical threat, sexual assault, and sexual threat.
  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 violence. In such cases, people are counted separately for each violence type 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.

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

• Number of incidences of violence

  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 2016, 12% of adults with disability reported that they had experienced violence once, and 35% reported they had experienced violence more than once.

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

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  Number of incidences	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Experienced violence once	14%	(11.8%-15.2%)	14%	(13.1%-15.3%)
  Experienced violence more than once	42%	(39.1%-44.3%)	23%	(22.3%-24.7%)
  Experienced violence once or more	55%	(52.5%-58.0%)	38%	(36.2%-39.2%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Experienced violence once	9.8%	(7.7%-11.8%)	8.6%	(6.7%-10.4%)
  Experienced violence more than once	22%	(19.0%-24.0%)	14%	(11.2%-16.7%)
  Experienced violence once or more	31%	(28.0%-34.6%)	22%	(19.3%-25.7%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Experienced violence once	12%	(11.1%-13.4%)	14%	(12.5%-14.6%)
  Experienced violence more than once	35%	(32.6%-36.9%)	22%	(21.2%-23.4%)
  Experienced violence once or more	47%	(44.8%-49.2%)	36%	(34.4%-37.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over.
  2. Violence includes physical assault, physical threat, sexual assault, and sexual threat.
  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 27 September 2022.

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

• Type of perpetrator

  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 2016, 30% of adults with disability reported that they had experienced violence perpetrated by a member of their community, 27% reported they had experienced violence perpetrated by a family member, and 8.0% 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.

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  Perpetrator	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 18–64
  Family/relative	33%	(30.4%-34.8%)	18%	(16.7%-18.6%)
  Community	37%	(34.2%-39.3%)	25%	(24.0%-26.7%)
  Workplace/service provider	8.6%	(7.3%-10.0%)	4.3%	(3.8%-4.9%)
  All perpetrator types	55%	(52.5%-58.0%)	38%	(36.2%-39.2%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Family/relative	15%	(13.1%-17.0%)	11%	(9.0%-12.3%)
  Community	17%	(13.9%-19.4%)	13%	(10.2%-16.2%)
  Workplace/service provider	6.9%	(5.1%-8.6%)	3.2%	(2.1%-4.2%)
  All perpetrator types	31%	(28.0%-34.6%)	22%	(19.3%-25.7%)
  Aged 18 and over
  Family/relative	27%	(25.0%-28.1%)	17%	(15.9%-17.7%)
  Community	30%	(27.8%-31.8%)	24%	(22.6%-25.2%)
  Workplace/service provider	8.0%	(6.9%-9.1%)	4.2%	(3.7%-4.7%)
  All perpetrator types	47%	(44.8%-49.2%)	36%	(34.4%-37.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over.
  2. Violence includes physical assault, physical threat, sexual assault, and sexual threat.
  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. Family/relative perpetrator type includes: current or previous partner, boyfriend or girlfriend or date, ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend, parent, child, sibling, other relative or in-law. Community perpetrator type includes: stranger, friend or housemate, acquaintance or neighbour, priest/minister/rabbi or other spiritual advisor, other known person. Workplace/service provider perpetrator type includes: employer/manager/supervisor, co-worker, teacher/tutor, client/patient/customer, medical practitioner, non-family carer.

  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