Fact sheet December[1]
Some facts about violence against women and housing (16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence 25 November-10 December 2021)
- 1 in 6 women have experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or previous partner since the age of 15.
- 1 in 4 women have experienced emotional abuse by a current or previous partner since the age of 15
- One in 5 women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15.
- One in 6 women were physically or sexually abused before the age of 15[2].
It is estimated that around 80 percent of women who experienced domestic violence experienced economic abuse[3].
Family and domestic violence is the main cause of homelessness for women and the main reason they seek crisis accommodation[4].
Only 3.2% of women seeking crisis accommodation are receiving the long-term housing solutions they need, with thousands nationally returning to perpetrators or becoming homeless. Research on the long-term housing needs of women and children escaping domestic and family violence indicates 16, 810 social housing units are needed nationally[5].
However, proportionate to population, social housing availability has declined by over 50% since the early 1990s, from 30 per 10,000 people in 1991 to 14 per 10,000 people in 2017[6]
Comparing March 2020 and March 2021 there was a 5.9% increase in the number of women seeking specialist homelessness services, who had experienced domestic violence, compared to a 0.4% decrease across all other client groups[7]. The number of sexual assault victims recorded by police also continues to rise (eg rose by 8% between 2016 and 2017)[8].
Some additional facts about violence against women with disability (International Day of Persons with Disabilities 3 December 2021)
When compared with women without disability, women with disability are:
- 1.9 times as likely to have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a partner in the previous year
- 1.7 times as likely to have experienced emotional abuse from a current or previous partner
- 1.7 times as likely to have experienced sexual violence (including assault and threats) since the age of 15[9].
- Women with disability can experience additional forms of family, domestic and sexual violence, such as reproductive control; forced or withheld medical treatment; and forced isolation or restraint[10].
- For women with disability, domestic violence can occur in not only the traditional family home but also other domestic settings such as group homes, supported accommodation facilities, tenancy support settings, congregate care, respite facilities, community-based psychiatric facilities and nursing homes. In these settings there may sometimes be more than one perpetrator. Women with disability are often in particularly poor financial circumstances, and economic abuse may be particularly difficult to identify or address where perpetrators are carers. Women with disability experiencing violence are not usually well served by existing services and supports, and specialist services and supports are not available in most parts of Australia[11].
Some additional facts about violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women (16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence 25 November-10 December 2021)
- Violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people occurs at structural, institutional and interpersonal levels, and Indigenous women and girls report that the intergenerational impacts of trauma are inseparable from harmful and violent behaviour.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are more likely to experience both homelessness and overcrowding than other Australian women: this heightens vulnerability to violence. If the housing crisis is not addressed, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women will be left marginalised and disempowered, perpetuating vicious cycles of violence, abuse and homelessness.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience violence at 3.1 times the rate of non-Indigenous women and the rate of partner homicide is two times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians.
- The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in out-of-home-care is 10.2 times that of non-Indigenous children and is increasing.
- Women and girls consulted about harmful behaviours stress that self-determination, healing and restoration of social and cultural values should underpin prevention strategies[12].
[1] Note: it can be difficult to accurately record the extent of family, domestic and sexual violence in the population. Incidents frequently occur behind closed doors and are often concealed by, and denied by, their perpetrators and sometimes by their victims. Data sources can only capture incidents that are disclosed by the individuals involved or recorded and/or reported to the relevant authorities.
[2] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019) Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia: continuing the national story https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/b0037b2d-a651-4abf-9f7b-00a85e3de528/aihw-fdv3-FDSV-in-Australia-2019.pdf.aspx?inline=true
[3] Cortis N & Bullen J 2015. Building effective policies and services to promote women’s economic security following domestic violence: state of knowledge paper https://20ian81kynqg38bl3l3eh8bf-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/4.6-Cortis-Bullen-150821-1.pdf
[4] https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/homelessness-services/specialist-homelessness-services-annual-report/contents/clients-who-have-experienced-family-and-domestic-violence
[5] Equity Economics, Nowhere to go: The benefits of providing long-term social housing to women that have experienced domestic and family violence
http://everybodyshome.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EE_Women-Housing_Domestic-Violence_WEB_SINGLES.pdf
[6] Pawson H, Parsell C, Liu E, Hartley C and Thompson S 202. Australian Homelessness Monitor, Launch Housing
[7] Equity Economics, Nowhere to go: The benefits of providing long-term social housing to women that have experienced domestic and family violence http://everybodyshome.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EE_Women-Housing_Domestic-Violence_WEB_SINGLES.pdf
[8] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019) Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia: continuing the national story https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/b0037b2d-a651-4abf-9f7b-00a85e3de528/aihw-fdv3-FDSV-in-Australia-2019.pdf.aspx?inline=true
[9] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019) Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia: continuing the national story https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/b0037b2d-a651-4abf-9f7b-00a85e3de528/aihw-fdv3-FDSV-in-Australia-2019.pdf.aspx?inline=true
[10] Frohmader, C, Dowse L and Didi A 2015. Preventing violence against women and girls with disabilities: integrating a human rights perspective
[11] Cortis N & Bullen J 2015. Building effective policies and services to promote women’s economic security following domestic violence: state of knowledge paper https://20ian81kynqg38bl3l3eh8bf-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/4.6-Cortis-Bullen-150821-1.pdf
[12] Australian Human Rights Commission 2020. Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices): Securing Our Rights, Securing Our Future https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-social-justice/publications/wiyi-yani-u-thangani