Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month 2023

May is domestic and family violence prevention month here in Australia. It is a time for all of us to stand up and speak out about domestic and family violence, raise awareness, and support those who have experienced violence. Sadly, the experience of violence is often a hidden, but common issue. Domestic and family violence is widespread and can happen to anyone, no matter what age, gender, sexual orientation, race, socioeconomic status, religion, or nationality someone might be. 

Domestic and family violence occurs when one person in a relationship uses violence or abuse to control another. This abuse can take a number of forms including physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, economic abuse, and coercive control. The violence can be prolonged and may continue even after the person(s) experiencing violence have separated from the person using violence.  

Did you know that in Australia:

• 1 in 5 women experience sexual violence[1]

• 1 in 3 women experience physical violence[2]

• 75% of perpetrators of violence are men[3]

Within Australia, attitudes towards domestic and family violence, and in particular violence towards women have improved; however, we still have a long way to go. This month the Australian National Research Institute for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) released their latest National Community Attitudes towards Violence against women survey (NCAS)[4]. Here are a few key points they have found:

•  Many Australians don’t believe that domestic and family violence is predominantly perpetrated by men against women. 41% of respondents believe that both men and women commit domestic violence equally.

• 1 in 4 respondents believe that a women who does not leave an abusive partner is partly responsible for the abuse continuing.

• 2 in 5 respondents did not know how to access domestic and family violence services.

• Nearly 23% of respondents believe that most domestic violence is a normal reaction to day-to-day stress and frustration.

The theme for domestic and family violence prevention month 2023 is ‘It’s in our control to end coercive control’. The theme reinforces that domestic and family violence is more complex than just physical violence. Coercive control in the context of domestic and family violence, is a type of emotional abuse involving a pattern of abusive, controlling and manipulating behaviours used against the other person in the relationship to create an environment of fear, isolation, intimidation, and humiliation.

Some examples of this include:

• Isolating the person from their support system

• Monitoring the person’s activity throughout the day

• Turning children or others against the person

• Threating children or pets

• Controlling aspects of the person’s finances, health and body

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(Author: Emily Fulton, Strategic Partnerships Officer, yourtown) 

[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics (2023). Personal Safety Australia.  https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/crime-and-justice/personal-safety-australia/latest-release

[2] Australian Bureau of Statistics (2023). Personal Safety Australia.  https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/crime-and-justice/personal-safety-australia/latest-release

[3] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2018). Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia.

[4] ANROWS (2023). Attitudes matter: Overall Australians attitudes towards violence against women have improved, but there is still a long way to go.