2 in 5 Australians experience violence: survey

CANBERRA - More than 40 percent of Australians have experienced violence since turning 15, personal safety data has revealed.

According to results from the latest Personal Safety Survey (PSS), which was released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday, 8 million Australians -- 41 percent of the adult population -- have been subjected to physical or sexual violence since the age of 15.

Four million men -- 42 percent of the adult population -- have experienced physical violence compared to 31 percent of women. Women were more than three times more likely to have experienced sexual violence, and were also likely to experience violence from someone they know.

Almost 17 percent of adult women have been subjected to physical or sexual violence by a cohabiting partner since the age of 15 compared to 5.5 percent of men.

One in six women and one in 13 men have experienced economic abuse from a cohabiting partner.

"We found 43 percent of men and 39 percent of women have experienced either physical or sexual violence since the age of 15," Michelle Ducat, ABS head of crime and justice statistics, said in a media release.

This latest release provides insight into experiences of violence and abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 12-month prevalence rates of violence experienced in the 2021-22 reference period were compared with 12-month prevalence rates from 2016.

"We saw similar rates of physical violence and sexual violence in 2021-22 when compared with 2016," Ducat said.

The PSS found rates of sexual harassment have fallen for both men and women as has the rate of emotional abuse from a cohabiting partner compared to 2016.