Statistics /

Violence against women is now recognised to be a serious and widespread problem in Australia, with enormous individual and community impacts and social costs.

However this significant social problem is also ultimately preventable. But to prevent violence against women we first need to understand it.

Key Facts

1 in 4

...women have experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner since the age of 15.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2017). Personal Safety Survey 2016. ABS cat. no. 4906.0. Canberra: ABS. Retrieved from:

1 in 5

...women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2017). Personal Safety Survey 2016. ABS cat. no. 4906.0. Canberra: ABS. Retrieved from:

1 in 2

...women has experienced sexual harassment during her lifetime.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2017). Personal Safety Survey 2016. ABS cat. no. 4906.0. Canberra: ABS. Retrieved from:

1 in 6

...women have experienced stalking since the age of 15.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2017). Personal Safety Survey 2016. ABS cat. no. 4906.0. Canberra: ABS. Retrieved from:

One woman a week

...on average, is murdered by her current or former partner.

Bryant, W. & Bricknall, S. (2017). Homicide in Australia 2012-2014: National Homicide Monitoring Program report. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. Retrieved from: .

Almost 40%

...of women continued to experience violence from their partner while temporarily separated.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2017). Personal Safety Survey 2016. ABS cat. no. 4906.0. Canberra: ABS. Retrieved from:

Visit the Anrows website for more information on 'Violence Against Women: Accurate use of key statistics' - a quick reference guide to key statistics on violence against women in Australia for use by the media and other commentators including government officials, academics, sector leaders and community advocates.