Family violence
statistics

In 2024–25, domestic homicide victims made up 41 per cent of all homicide victims. Of the 48 female homicide victims in 2024–25, 67 per cent were killed by an intimate partner, 17 per cent were the parent of the offender and 15 per cent were the child of the offender. 

One man was killed every 26 days in 2024-25. 

Victoria Police recorded 106,430 family violence incidents in 2024–25 – an eight per cent increase on the previous year.  A family incident is defined as an incident attended by Victoria Police where a Risk Assessment and Risk Management Report (also known as an L17 form) was completed. 

In 2023, Victoria Police responded to 94,170 family violence incidents – this is around one incident every six minutes. Family violence incidents have increased by 38 per cent over the past 10 years. 

In Australia in 2021–22, an estimated 1.7 per cent of women (173,300) experienced violence by a current partner, whereas 16 per cent of women (1.5 million) experienced violence by a previous partner. In Australia, an estimated 1.5 per cent of men (101,200) experienced violence by a current partner, whereas approximately 4.45 per cent of men (425,400) experienced violence by a previous partner.  

The 2021-22 Personal Safety Survey collected information from men and women aged 18 years and over about violence they experienced since the age of 15. The term ‘partner’ is used to describe a person the respondent currently lives with, or has lived with at some point, in a married or de facto relationship. Violence includes physical and sexual assault and threats. 

In the 2021-22 Personal Safety Survey, 49 per cent of the 90,100 women who experienced violence by their current partner and had children in their care reported that the children had seen or heard the violence. 

Of the 701,800 women who experienced violence by a previous partner while living together and had children in their care when the violence occurred, 69 per cent reported that the children had seen or heard the violence. 

Of the 119,200 men who experienced violence by a previous partner while living together and had children in their care when the violence occurred, 48 per cent reported that the children had seen or heard the violence.  

In Australia, approximately one in four women (23 per cent or 2.3 million) experienced violence by an intimate partner, compared to one in 14 men (7.3 per cent or 692,600).  

The 2022-23 Personal Safety Survey collected information about men’s and women’s experience of violence by a partner, including both physical and sexual violence experienced since the age of 15. ‘Violence’ is defined as any incident involving the occurrence, attempt or threat of either physical or sexual assault. The term ‘partner’ is used to describe a person the respondent currently lives with, or has lived with at some point, in a married or de facto relationship. 

In 2016–17, Indigenous females aged 15 and over were 34 times as likely to be hospitalised for family violence as non-Indigenous females, with 8 per 1,000 (2,200) Indigenous females hospitalised, compared with 0.2 in 1,000 (2,400) non-Indigenous females. Spouse or domestic partner was most commonly reported as the perpetrator for hospitalisations of Indigenous females aged 15 and over for assault injuries (62 per cent, or 1,600 cases). 

It is important to note that most violence against Aboriginal women is perpetrated by non-Aboriginal people. In 2011, 85 per cent of Aboriginal women in Melbourne had a non-Aboriginal partner (Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, 2013). 

In 2021-22, an estimated 6.6 per cent (208,900) of women with a disability experienced cohabitating partner violence and/or abuse in the 12 months prior to the survey, compared to 4.2 per cent (284,000) of those with no disability. Cohabitating partner violence and/or abuse includes physical violence, emotional abuse and economic abuse.  

About one in five (21 per cent or 1.2 million) adults with disability in 2016 had experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a current or previous intimate partner since the age of 15. Women with disability (30 per cent) in 2016 were about three times as likely as men with disability (11 per cent) to have experienced intimate partner violence since the age of 15. 

Social discrimination and systemic and structural barriers can make it very difficult for people to get the help they need. Migrant and refugee women encounter increased barriers to support, partly due to visa-based eligibility for services, language barriers and limited knowledge of the service system. 

Elder abuse is an often overlooked form of family violence and is sadly often perpetrated by trusted family members or carers. One in six older Australians experience some form of abuse, including psychological abuse (11.7 per cent), neglect (2.9 per cent), financial abuse (2.1 per cent), physical abuse (1.8 per cent) and sexual abuse (1 per cent). 

People with poor physical or psychological health and higher levels of social isolation are more likely to experience elder abuse. 

Of those assisted by specialist homelessness services in 2024–25, around 40 per cent of clients (or 117,000) have experienced family violence. The rate of specialist homelessness services clients who have experienced family violence increased from 36 to 43 per 10,000 population between 2011–12 and 2024–25. Among specialist homelessness services clients who have experienced family violence, nine in 10 were women (females aged 18 or older) and children (aged 0–17).