Call 1800RESPECT Help and support

This content contains information some readers may find distressing as it refers to information about family, domestic and sexual violence. If the information presented raises any issues for you, or someone you know, contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. See also Find support for a list of support services.

Family, domestic and sexual violence Home

Quick exit

Data dashboard

This dashboard allows people to explore changes over time in key measures for reporting on FDSV. In the future, this page will be updated to provide an overview of measures and targets tracked through the Performance Measurement Plan, currently under development. For more information, see the Outcomes framework page (under Technical resources).

Intimate partner violence experienced by women

The rate decreased between 2016 and 2021–22.
Intimate partners can be current or former cohabiting partners, boyfriends, girlfriends or dates.
Violence refers to physical and/or sexual violence.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Personal Safety, Australia 2021–22

View Intimate partner violence
Proportion of women who experienced intimate partner violence in the last 12 months
Period Per cent

2005 2.3^%

2012 2.1^%

2016 2.3^%

2021–22 1.5%

Note:
Intimate partner violence statistics for men have a high relative standard error and are considered too unreliable to measure changes over time.
For more information, see Data sources and technical notes.

^: statistically significant difference to the 2021–22 prevalence rate.
Partner violence experienced by women

The rate decreased between 2016 and 2021–22.
Partner refers to a partner the person lives with (current partner), or lived with at some point (previous partner) in a married or de facto relationship.
Violence refers to physical and/or sexual violence.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Personal Safety, Australia 2021–22

View Intimate partner violence
Proportion of women who experienced violence from a partner in the last 12 months
Period Per cent

2005 1.5^%

2012 1.5^%

2016 1.7^%

2021-22 0.9%

Note:
Partner violence statistics for men have a high relative standard error and are considered too unreliable to measure changes over time.
For more information, see Data sources and technical notes.

^: statistically significant difference to the 2021–22 prevalence rate.
Partner emotional abuse

The rate decreased between 2016 and 2021–22 for women and men.
Partner refers to a partner the person lives with (current partner), or lived with at some point (previous partner) in a married or de facto relationship.
Emotional abuse refers to behaviours or actions that are aimed at preventing or controlling a person’s behaviour, or causing them emotional harm or fear.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Personal Safety, Australia 2021–22

View Intimate partner violence
Proportion who experienced emotional abuse from a partner in the last 12 months
Period Females Males

2012 4.7^% 2.8%

2016 4.8^% 4.2^%

2021-22 3.9% 2.5%

Note:
While the data are comparable across the time series, the list of emotional abuse behaviours asked about in the survey has expanded over time.
For more information, see Data sources and technical notes.

^: statistically significant difference to the 2021–22 prevalence rate.
Sexual violence experienced by women

The rate was stable between 2016 and 2021–22.
Sexual violence includes sexual assault or threat.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Personal Safety, Australia 2021–22 . 1996 data are from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Women’s Safety Survey 1996.

View Sexual violence
Proportion of women who experienced sexual violence in the last 12 months
Year Per cent

1996 1.9%

2005 1.6%

2012 1.2^%

2016 1.8%

2021-22 1.9%

Notes:
1996 data are sourced from the Women’s Safety Survey. See the ABS publication Women’s Safety, Australia 1996 for further information.
Sexual violence statistics for men have a high relative standard error and are considered too unreliable to measure changes over time.
For more information, see Data sources and technical notes

^: statistically significant difference to the 2021–22 prevalence rate.
Sexual harassment

The rate decreased between 2016 and 2021–22 for women and men.
Sexual harassment occurs when a person has experienced behaviours that made them feel uncomfortable and/or were offensive due to their sexual nature.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Personal Safety, Australia 2021–22

View Sexual violence
Proportion who experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months
Year Females Males

2012 14.8^% 6.6^%

2016 17.3^% 9.3^%

2021–22 12.6% 4.5%

For more information, see Data sources and technical notes.

^: statistically significant difference to the 2021–22 prevalence rate.

Period	Per cent
2005	2.3^%
2012	2.1^%
2016	2.3^%
2021–22	1.5%

Period	Per cent
2005	1.5^%
2012	1.5^%
2016	1.7^%
2021-22	0.9%

Period	Females	Males
2012	4.7^%	2.8%
2016	4.8^%	4.2^%
2021-22	3.9%	2.5%

Year	Per cent
1996	1.9%
2005	1.6%
2012	1.2^%
2016	1.8%
2021-22	1.9%

Year	Females	Males
2012	14.8^%	6.6^%
2016	17.3^%	9.3^%
2021–22	12.6%	4.5%

Intimate partner homicide

Rates of intimate partner homicide fell from 1989–90 to 2020–21, with some fluctuations year on year.
Intimate partner homicide is where a victim had a current or previous intimate partner relationship with the primary offender.

This measure relates to a target under the National Plan Outcomes Framework.

Source: Australian Institute of Criminology National Homicide Monitoring Program

View Domestic homicide

Rates of intimate partner homicide

Community understanding of violence against women

There has been an increase in the level of understanding of violence against women.
This is measured by the Understanding of Violence against Women Scale of the NCAS. A higher mean score on the Understanding of Violence against Women Scale indicates a higher level of understanding of violence against women and is desirable.

This measure relates to a target under the National Plan Outcomes Framework.

Source: Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) The National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) 2021

View Community understanding of FDSV
Mean score on the Understanding of Violence against Women Scale
Year Women Men Persons

2009 64^ 60^ 62^

2013 64^ 61^ 63^

2017 67^ 63^ 65^

2021 70 67 69

Notes:
Weighted data.
Possible scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating higher understanding.
For more information, see Data sources and technical notes

^: statistically significant difference to the 2021 mean score.
Community attitudes towards violence against women

There has been a positive shift in community attitudes that reject violence against women.
This is measured by the Attitudes towards Violence against Women Scale of the NCAS. On this scale a higher score is seen as desirable because it reflects higher rejection of problematic attitudes.

This measure relates to a target under the National Plan Outcomes Framework.

Source: Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) The National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) 2021

View Community attitudes
Mean score on the Attitudes towards Violence against Women Scale
Year Women Men Persons

2009 65^ 62^ 63^

2013 65^ 63^ 64^

2017 67 65 66

2021 69 66 68

Notes:
Weighted data.
Possible scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater rejection of problematic attitudes.
For more information, see Data sources and technical notes

^: statistically significant difference to the 2021 mean score.
Community attitudes towards gender inequality

There has been a positive shift in community attitudes that reject gender inequality.
This is measured by the Attitudes towards Gender Inequality Scale of the NCAS. On this scale a higher score is seen as desirable because it reflects higher rejection of problematic attitudes.

This measure relates to a target under the National Plan Outcomes Framework.

Source: Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) The National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) 2021

View Community attitudes
Mean score on the Attitudes towards Gender Inequality Scale
Year Women Men Persons

2009 66^ 61^ 63^

2013 65^ 61^ 63^

2017 66^ 63^ 64^

2021 69 65 67

Notes:
Weighted data.
Possible scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater rejection of problematic attitudes.
For more information, see Data sources and technical notes

^: statistically significant difference to the 2021 mean score.
Community attitudes towards sexual violence

There has been a positive shift in community attitudes that reject sexual violence.
This is measured by the Sexual Violence Scale of the NCAS. On this scale a higher score is seen as desirable because it reflects higher rejection of problematic attitudes.

This measure relates to a target under the National Plan Outcomes Framework.

Source: Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) The National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) 2021

View Community attitudes
Mean score on the Sexual Violence Scale
Year Women Men Persons

2017 66^ 65^ 66^

2021 69 67 68

Notes:
Weighted data.
Possible scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater rejection of problematic attitudes.
For more information, see Data sources and technical notes

^: statistically significant difference to the 2021 mean score.

Year	Females	Males	Persons
1989–90	1.0	0.4	0.7
1990–91	1.1	0.2	0.7
1991–92	0.8	0.3	0.5
1992–93	1.0	0.3	0.6
1993–94	0.8	0.4	0.6
1994–95	1.0	0.4	0.7
1995–96	0.7	0.3	0.5
1996–97	0.7	0.2	0.4
1997–98	0.7	0.3	0.5
1998–99	0.7	0.2	0.5
1999–00	0.7	0.3	0.5
2000–01	0.9	0.2	0.5
2001–02	1.0	0.3	0.6
2002–03	0.7	0.3	0.5
2003–04	0.6	0.2	0.4
2004–05	0.6	0.2	0.4
2005–06	0.8	0.2	0.5
2006–07	0.5	0.3	0.4
2007–08	0.8	0.2	0.5
2008–09	0.6	0.2	0.4
2009–10	0.5	0.2	0.4
2010–11	0.4	0.2	0.3
2011–12	0.5	0.1	0.3
2012–13	0.5	0.2	0.4
2013–14	0.5	0.2	0.3
2014–15	0.5	0.2	0.3
2015–16	0.4	0.1	0.3
2016–17	0.4	0.2	0.3
2017–18	0.3	0.1	0.2
2018–19	0.4	0.1	0.2
2019–20	0.4	0.1	0.2
2020–21	0.3	0.1	0.2

Data dashboard

On this page

Intimate partner violence experienced by women

Proportion of women who experienced intimate partner violence in the last 12 months

Partner violence experienced by women

Proportion of women who experienced violence from a partner in the last 12 months

Partner emotional abuse

Proportion who experienced emotional abuse from a partner in the last 12 months

Sexual violence experienced by women

Proportion of women who experienced sexual violence in the last 12 months

Sexual harassment

Proportion who experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months

Intimate partner homicide

Rates of intimate partner homicide

Community understanding of violence against women

Mean score on the Understanding of Violence against Women Scale

Community attitudes towards violence against women

Mean score on the Attitudes towards Violence against Women Scale

Community attitudes towards gender inequality

Mean score on the Attitudes towards Gender Inequality Scale

Community attitudes towards sexual violence

Mean score on the Sexual Violence Scale

Connect with us

Feedback

Year	Women	Men	Persons
2009	64^	60^	62^
2013	64^	61^	63^
2017	67^	63^	65^
2021	70	67	69

Year	Women	Men	Persons
2009	65^	62^	63^
2013	65^	63^	64^
2017	67	65	66
2021	69	66	68

Year	Women	Men	Persons
2009	66^	61^	63^
2013	65^	61^	63^
2017	66^	63^	64^
2021	69	65	67

Year	Women	Men	Persons
2017	66^	65^	66^
2021	69	67	68