Griffith Criminology Institute, in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), has played a key a key role in new research that used criminal history data for three birth cohorts in New South Wales (NSW) to estimate the prevalence of recorded family and domestic violence offending.
The data for this study was based on offences recorded by the NSW Police Force for individuals who were proceeded against by police and who were born in one of three NSW birth cohorts (1984, 1994 and 2004).
A total of 6.3 per cent of people born in NSW were found to have been proceeded against by police for a family and domestic violence offence by age 37.
The rate was significantly higher for men at 9.6 per cent (one in 10) who had been proceeded against for a family and domestic violence offence, compared with 3 per cent of women (one in 33).
Overall, 1.2 per cent of people born in New South Wales were responsible for more than 50 per cent of recorded family and domestic violence offences.
Further, family and domestic violence offenders accounted for nearly half of all recorded offences by people in the birth cohort.
While recent evidence has pointed to a decline in victimisation and a longer-term downward trend in domestic homicide, there continues to be serious concern for the ongoing threat to the safety of victim‑survivors and the need to increase the visibility and accountability of perpetrators.
"By identifying and targeting those who commit domestic violence, especially early in their offending trajectory, we can not only reduce violence against intimate partners and family members but prevent crime more generally," Griffith Criminology Institute Director Professor Jason Payne said, who co-authored the report.
"This report provides the first estimate of the prevalence of recorded family and domestic violence offending in a population sample in Australia, and is an important step towards increasing the visibility of family and domestic violence perpetrators."
According to the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey, 27 percent of women and 12 per cent of men had been a victim of violence by an intimate partner or family member since the age of 15.
The consequences of this violence to victim-survivors – such as economic insecurity, poor physical and mental health and homelessness, as well as the effects on children – were substantial.
The full report Prevalence of recorded family and domestic violence offending: A birth cohort study is available on the AIC website.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via www.1800RESPECT.org.au, or text 0458 737 732.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit http://www.ntv.org.au
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