Education for Development - DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic violence is, in many ways, a quiet epidemic. Though in plain
sight, victims are often invisible, fearfully denying their situation and
hiding behind the facade of a happy home. But the statistics reveal a
shocking reality. Every nine seconds, a woman in America is assaulted or
beaten, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence . A mind-boggling one in three women
(and one in four men) has been a victim of physical brutality by an intimate
partner, the group also reports. That makes intimate partner violence
"the single greatest cause of injury to women," per the Domestic
Violence Intervention Program.
The vast majority of dangerous, abusive and violent behaviour that occurs
in the privacy of people's homes is committed by men against women.
Violence against women is now recognised to be a serious and widespread
problem in Australia with enormous individual and community impacts and
social costs
KEY FACTS from Australian:
The following basic statistics help demonstrate the prevalence and severity
of violence against women:
* On average at least one woman a week is killed by a partner or
former partner in Australia.1
* One in three Australian women has experienced physical violence
since the age of 15.2
* One in five Australian women has experienced sexual violence.2
* One in four Australian women has experienced physical or sexual
violence by an intimate partner.2
* One in four Australian women has experienced emotional abuse by a
current or former partner.3
* Women are at least three times more likely than men to experience
violence from an intimate partner.4
* Women are five times more likely than men to require medical
attention or hospitalisation as a result of intimate partner violence, and
five times more likely to report fearing for their lives.5
* Of those women who experience violence, more than half have children
in their care.6
* Violence against women is not limited to the home or intimate
relationships. Every year in Australia over 300,000 women experience
violence - often sexual violence - from someone other than a partner.7
* Eight out of ten women aged 18 to 24 were harassed on the street in
the past year.8
* Young women (18-24 years) experience significantly higher rates of
physical and sexual violence than women in older age groups.9
* There is growing evidence that women with disabilities are more
likely to experience violence.10
* Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience both far
higher rates and more severe forms of violence compared to other women.11
* Intimate partner violence contributes to more death, disability and
illness in women aged 15 to 44 than any other preventable risk factor.13
* Domestic or family violence against women is the single largest
driver of homelessness for women14, a common factor in child protection
notifications15 and results in a police call-out on average once every two
minutes across the country.16
Source: Our WATCh - Department of Social Services