Family, domestic and sexual violence data in Australia

Family, domestic and sexual violence context measures explore the environmental and psychosocial factors that influence community and individual attitudes, and otherwise provide context for the occurrence and experience of family, domestic and sexual violence. Knowledge and awareness of what constitutes violence, both physical and non-physical, can also influence attitudes and behaviour.

This release includes the following context measures:

• People who are intolerant of violence against women
• People with highest understanding of non-physical forms of violence   

Data challenges for measuring context

• Differences in relevant legislation, policy and practice across jurisdictions
• Lack of precise geographical data

Family, domestic and sexual violence risk measures explore the actual and perceived risk factors that can increase or decrease the likelihood of experiencing or using family, domestic or sexual violence.

This release includes the following risk measure:

• Children exposed to their parent or carer’s experience of domestic violence

Data challenges for measuring risk

• Limited data on different population groups

Family, domestic and sexual violence incident/experience measures explore the characteristics of family, domestic and sexual violence incidents and the experiences of victims and people who use violence (perpetrators).

This release includes the following incident/experience measures:

• Physical and/or sexual family and domestic violence
• Emotional abuse by a partner
• Sexual violence

Data challenges for measuring incident/experience

• Different definitions used across data sources
• Lack of data on complex forms of violence
• Limited data on technology-facilitated abuse
• Limited data on location of event
• Limited data on offence history of perpetrator
• Limited data on relationship between victim and perpetrator

Family, domestic and sexual violence response measures explore the actions that are taken after violence. Responses may be formal or informal, and may be taken by victims, people who use violence, family and friends of the victim, witnesses, service providers, and the civil or criminal justice system.

This release includes the following response measures:

• Help sought after family and domestic violence
• Help sought after sexual assault
• Family and domestic assault reported to police
• Sexual assault reported to police
• Crime rates for family and domestic violence
• Crime rates for sexual assault
• Specialist homelessness services clients who have experienced family and domestic violence
• Substantiated notifications of abuse and/or neglect
• Hospitalisations for family and domestic violence 
• Family and domestic violence Crisis Payments
• 1800RESPECT contacts

Data challenges for measuring responses

• Limited service response data, including specialist family, domestic and sexual violence services, emergency department and primary health care
• Inconsistent identification, capturing and counting procedures

Family, domestic and sexual violence impact and outcome measures explore the wide ranging consequences of family, domestic and sexual violence for victims, people who use violence, families, workplaces, the community and the economy.

This release includes the following impacts and outcomes measure:

• Family and domestic violence homicide 

Data challenges for measuring impacts and outcomes

• Lack of data on long-term health and welfare outcomes
• Lack of data on effectiveness of services, for example perpetrator intervention programs
• Lack of data on pathways for victims and perpetrators