ABS: 2 in 5 Australian adults have experienced violence since the age of 15

Data released by the Australian Bureau of statistics today shows 2 in 5 Australian adults have experienced violence (including physical and sexual) since the age of 15.

Michelle Marquardt, Program Manager for Household Surveys, said the PSS, which included about 21,000 respondents, was an important survey about the nature and characteristics of people’s experiences of violence in Australia.

The data also highlights that 41% of Australian men have experienced physical violence and 18% of women have experienced sexual Violence.

However, when it comes to reporting physical violence 2/3 of victims don’t report it to the police.

For women who have been sexually assaulted, 87% had been assaulted by a male they knew in their own home being the most likely location.

Those who were victims of violence from a partner, 17% were women and 6% men.

The data also shows that the proportion of women expericing violence from a partner in the previous 12 months has remained relatively stable.

The reality is men are at risk of physical violence by strangers. Women tend to experience physical & sexual violence by someone they know.