Seeking support following assault

What is being tracked?

Measure: Proportion of people with disability who experienced assault and sought advice or support after the most recent incident

This measure is part of the Trauma-informed policy, processes and programs priority of the Strategy. This priority is about improving access to services that support people with disability who have experienced trauma.

The desired outcome is that more people with disability who have experienced assault get support.

Last updated:

Outcome area: Safety, rights and justice Priority: Trauma-informed policy, processes and programs

  • Baseline value

    52%in 2016

  • Latest value

    52%in 2016

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 sought advice or support after experiencing assault increased over time?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced assault and sought advice or support after the most recent incident. Data from 2012 and 2016 are used. In 2016, 52% of adults with disability reported seeking advice or support after the most recent incident of assault, compared with 57% in 2012.

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

State and territory

Does the proportion of people with disability who experienced assault and sought advice or support vary between states and territories?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced assault and sought advice or support after the most recent incident, grouped by Australian states and territories. In 2016, 56% of adults with disability living in New South Wales and Queensland reported seeking advice or support after the most recent incident of assault, compared with 43% in the Northern Territory.

* 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

Population groups

How this measure varies by…

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who experienced assault and sought advice or support vary by sex?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced assault and sought advice or support after the most recent incident, for males and females. In 2016, 39% of men with disability reported seeking advice or support after the most recent incident of assault, compared with 63% of women.

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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who experienced assault and sought advice or support vary by age?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced assault and sought advice or support after the most recent incident, grouped by age. In 2016, 59% of adults with disability aged 18–24 reported seeking advice or support after the most recent incident of assault, as did 49% of those aged 25–44 (please note that the proportion for adults aged 18–24 has a high margin of error and should be used with caution).

    * 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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who experienced assault and sought advice or support 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 experienced assault and sought advice or support after the most recent incident, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2016, the proportion of adults with disability who reported seeking advice or support after the most recent incident of assault was 52% for adults with disability in both CALD and non-CALD groups (please note that the proportion for people with CALD backgrounds has a high margin of error and should be used with caution).

    * 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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who experienced assault and sought advice or support vary by remoteness?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) who experienced assault and sought advice or support after the most recent incident, grouped by remoteness. In major cities, 52% of adults with disability reported seeking advice or support after the most recent incident of assault, as did 45% in outer regional and remote areas (please note that the proportion for adults in outer regional and remote areas has a high margin of error and should be used with caution).

    * 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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who experienced assault and sought advice or support 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 experienced assault and sought advice or support after the most recent incident, by disability group. In 2016, 61% of adults with psychological disability reported seeking advice or support after the most recent incident of assault, compared with 51% of adults with sight, hearing or speech disability.

    * 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

  • Does the proportion of people with disability who experienced assault and sought advice or support 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 experienced assault and sought advice or support after the most recent incident, grouped by disability severity. In 2016, the proportion of adults with disability who reported seeking advice or support after the most recent incident of assault was 58% for people with severe or profound disability and 51% for people with other disability status (please note that the proportion for adults with severe or profound disability has a high margin of error and should be used with caution).

    * 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

Where did these data come from?

Data on seeking support following assault come from survey data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Learn more about these data
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