Domestic violence data reveals cost of family abuse

A NEW report has placed the cost of family violence at $22 billion and revealed that while women are more likely to know their abuser, men are more likely to face attack by a stranger.

ONE in six women and one in 16 men are victims of sexual or physical partner violence, a shocking new report shows.

While women are more likely to be abused by someone they know, men are more likely to be abused by a stranger, according to the latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data released today.

The direct financial cost is estimated to be $22 billion a year, including healthcare, counselling, lost wages and child and welfare support.

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Women are more likely to be abused by someone they know.

During 2014-15, almost eight women and two men were hospitalised each day after being assaulted by their partner or former partner.

And from 2012 to 2014, one woman a week and one man a month were killed by a violent partner or former partner.

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The report, with data from more than 20 major national sources, shows three-quarters of reported perpetrators of partner violence are male.

While 96 per cent of female victims of sexual violence say the perpetrator is male, 49 per cent of male victims say they have been abused by a female and 44 per cent by a male.

Rates of partner violence against women remained relatively stable between 2005 and 2016. The most vulnerable groups were young, disabled, indigenous and pregnant women; those separating from partners; and women experiencing financial hardship.

Millions of men and women saw violence towards their mother by a partner when they were children.

The research shows that nearly 2.1 million women and men saw violence towards their mother by a partner when they were children. Nearly 820,000 witnessed ­violence towards their father.

“Children can be victims of or witnesses to family violence — and this early exposure can heighten their chances of ­experiencing further violence later in life,” said AIHW spokeswoman Louise York.