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​Despite the prevalence of sexual violence in rural and remote areas of Australia, there has been comparatively little research conducted surrounding its causes and effects. Understanding the scope and contributing factors relating to these incidents are vital to developing effective strategies to combat violence and discrimination.

Statistics

  • 1 in 5 women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023)

  • 1 in 16 men have experienced-sexual violence since the age of 15 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023)

  • 1 in 6 women and 1 in 9 men were physically and/or sexually abused before the age of 15 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023)

  • 1 In 2 women have experienced sexual harassment (NSW GOV, 2022)

  • Estimated in Australia over 2.8 million people have experienced a form of SV (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024)

  • 84% of victim survivors of SA know the perpetrator (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023)

  • 1.1 million women reported SV from an intimate partner 489,000 was a male friend/housemate. (Australian (Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024)

  • 97% of SV is perpetrated by men (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2020)

  • In 2022, 88 sexual assaults were recorded by police each day in Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023)

  • 87% of female victim survivors in Australia did not contact the police (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2020)

  • 2 in 5 high school age kids have experienced sexual harassment or coercion (NSW Gov, 2022)

 

  • Up to 15% of people think its justified for a man to force a woman to have sex if she kisses him first (Australian national research organisation for women's safety, national community attitudes toward violence against women, 2017)

  • 1 in 10 people think that if a woman falls asleep during sex, it's understandable if a man continues to have sex with her anyway (Australian national research organisation for women's safety, national community attitudes toward violence against women, 2017)

  • In a study of NSW school students, the following was discovered:

    • 74% of young women were able to recognise the violence compared to just 40% of young men. Young men (grades 9-10) were more likely to recognise the violence compared to older men (grades 11-12)

    • 66% of young men and 25% of young women felt that men couldn't stop, making sexual violence inevitable

    • 68% of young men believed women said 'no' when they meant 'yes’.

‘Social Work and the prevention of sexual violence in rural communities: Ties that bind’ Rawsthorne, 2003

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"There are precious lives between these cold numbers"

- Graça Machel

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