Summary of Contents
The report presents comprehensive data on family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV) in Australia, covering prevalence, demographics, impacts, and service responses. It draws on police records, hospitalisations, victimisation surveys, and specialist support services.
Key themes:
- Prevalence: Violence overwhelmingly affects women and girls, particularly from intimate partners.
- Perpetrators: Most offenders are men, but women and children also experience violence from family members and acquaintances.
- Impacts: Sexual assault leads to long-term health, social, and economic consequences, with children especially vulnerable.
- Reporting gap: A large proportion of sexual assaults are never reported to police.
- Vulnerable groups: Higher rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, young people, people with disability, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Relevant Statistics on Sexual Assault
Women & Girls
- 1 in 5 women (18%) have experienced sexual violence since age 15 .
- 1 in 6 girls (16%) experience child sexual abuse before the age of 15 .
- In 2022–23, women accounted for 84% of recorded sexual assault victims .
- The most at-risk group is young women aged 15–19, with rates six times higher than for the general female population .
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 3 times more likely to experience sexual assault compared to non-Indigenous women .
Men & Boys
- 1 in 25 men (4%) report experiencing sexual violence since the age of 15 .
- 1 in 9 boys (11%) have experienced child sexual abuse before 15 .
- Boys account for a smaller but significant proportion of child sexual assault victims, especially under age 15 .
Children & Adolescents
- Children represent a large share of victims: 41% of all sexual assault victims were under 15 .
- Girls aged 10–14 are five times more likely than boys to be victims of sexual assault .
Key Takeaways
- Sexual violence is disproportionately experienced by women and girls, especially in adolescence.
- Childhood is a high-risk period, with significant rates of abuse among both boys and girls.
- The long-term effects include mental illness, disrupted education, poor health, and economic disadvantage.
- Under-reporting remains a serious barrier to justice and safety.
- Indigenous women and other vulnerable groups experience systemic inequality and higher risk.