Source: Data sourced from the ABS Personal Safety Survey, Cat. No. 4906.0, Table 5. 1996 data was drawn from the Women’s Safety Survey and so data are not available for men.

Experience of physical assault during last 12 months—by male perpetrator (2005)	Female	Male
Stranger (‘000)	35.5 (18.2%)	316.7 (73.7%)
Current partner (‘000)	30.7 (15.7%)	– (a)
Previous partner (‘000)	43.3 (22.2%)	– (a)
Family or friends	67.1 (34.4%)	48.4 (11.2%)
Other known persons (d)	29.3 (15.0%)	93.7 (21.8%)
Experience of physical assault during last 12 months (as at 2005)—by female perpetrator	Female	Male
Stranger (‘000)	21.9 (32.9%)	13.0 (16.3%) (b)
Current partner (‘000)	– (a)	5.0 (6.3%) (c)
Previous partner (‘000)	– (a)	16.2 (20.4%) (c)
Family or friends (‘000)	21.9 (33.0%)	36.0 (45.3%) (b)
Other known persons (‘000) (d)	25.0 (37.5%)	9.3+ (11.7%) (b)

Source: Data sourced from the ABS Personal Safety Survey, Cat. No. 4906.0, Table 16.

(a) Nil or rounded to zero (including null cells).

(b) Estimate has a relative standard error of 25 per cent to 50 per cent and should be used with caution.

(c) Estimate has a relative standard error of greater than 50 per cent and is considered too unreliable for general use.

(d) Includes acquaintance or neighbour, counsellor or psychologist or psychiatrist, ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, doctor, teacher, minister or priest or clergy, prison officer and other known person.

Domestic violence and homelessness

Domestic violence is a major factor contributing to homelessness in Australia , particularly for women. Women and children escaping domestic violence are one of the primary target groups of the Australian Government-funded Supported Accommodation Assistance program. For more information about the Supported Accommodation Assistance program, see paragraph 11.33.

According to a 2003–04 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare analysis, Australian Government funding enabled 32,700 women to use a supported accommodation assistance program service when escaping domestic violence. In 2005–06, 17.1 per cent of clients were Indigenous, and 17,000 Indigenous clients were supported through the program’s services. Of the 1,300 agencies involved, 167 specifically target Indigenous clients, although these clients may access any of the agencies. The Australian Government continues to support the program with $932 million allocated from 2005 to 2010, of which $892 million is provided directly to state and territory governments.

Women, domestic violence and homelessness research project

In 2008, the Australian Government commissioned research on strategies to prevent homelessness resulting from domestic and family violence and ensure that women who survive domestic and family violence, and their accompanying children, are provided with appropriate ongoing accommodation options and integrated wrap-around support.

The research report, Women, Domestic and Family Violence and Homelessness: A Synthesis Report was released on 30 September 2008. The findings of the report will be considered in the context of the development of the Australian Government’s white paper on homelessness and the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children .

The research revealed that there is no one, easy ‘roll out’ solution to domestic and family violence related homelessness. It found that the types of assistance and support needed depend greatly on the personal circumstances of women, such as health, social, cultural and geographic background. Another factor is the financial resources available to women, especially their capacity to be financially independent.

Protecting Indigenous women and children

Family violence is causing significant destruction to the fabric of Indigenous communities. In the Northern Territory , where there is a high concentration of Indigenous people, there is an over-representation of women as victims of violent crime. Statistics from 2007 show that of all assaults on females, it is estimated that 80 per cent were Indigenous, 124 with Indigenous women more than eight times more likely to be assaulted compared to non-Indigenous women. Seventy-two per cent of these assaults were domestic violence related, and 66 per cent of assaults involved alcohol. In recent years, all levels of government have acknowledged the significance of this problem with a number of important inquiries and initiatives undertaken to help deal with its impact.

Northern Territory Emergency Response

The Australian Government initiated the Northern Territory Emergency Response in 2007 to protect Indigenous children from abuse and build the basis for a better future for Indigenous people. For more information about the emergency response including its review, see paragraphs 2.43 to 2.45.

The response includes a wide range of measures designed to protect children, make communities safe, and create a better future for Indigenous people in the Northern Territory, including:

providing more police in remote communities

bans on alcohol and pornography in prescribed areas

increased night patrol services

new and expanded safe houses for families experiencing violence

additional child protection workers and Indigenous Family and Community workers

youth diversionary programs.

Indigenous family violence initiatives

A number of programs are targeted at breaking the cycle of domestic violence in Indigenous families and reducing the risks for women of physical harm. The Australian Government’s ongoing Family Violence Partnership program has $10.3 million in project funding each year. Projects work across the spectrum providing education and awareness of family violence through to services for victims and perpetrators. These include setting up safe houses, night patrols, counselling services, perpetrator and education programs, and employing support workers.

The ongoing Family Violence Regional Activities program provides practical and flexible support for grassroots projects identified by Indigenous communities as a local priority to address family violence, sexual assault and child abuse. The program takes an holistic approach to addressing the safety of women and children in Indigenous communities in culturally-appropriate ways.

The Early Intervention program funds organisations to deliver programs that will lower or eliminate the prevalence of family violence in Indigenous communities. The Australian Government has chosen a number of locations as priority areas for early intervention, including building self-esteem, developing community role models, and addressing Elder abuse.

The Indigenous Community Legal Education program empowers Indigenous Australians in remote and rural communities to report and challenge violence and child abuse, by providing information about their legal and human rights, including how to access a range of support services. The program aims to reduce family violence in Indigenous communities by:

providing legal education adapted to suit local communities

improving Indigenous Australians’ understanding of Australian law

working with Indigenous communities to manage the relationship between customary law and human rights

educating and mentoring Indigenous young people and women

encouraging community members, particularly young people, women and Elders to speak out about family violence.

As well as participating in the initiatives outlined above, states and territories frequently run their own programs to address the needs of Indigenous women in their own jurisdictions—for example, in 2008–09 the Victorian Government allocated $8.4 million over four years under its Indigenous family violence strategy towards a framework for an Indigenous community-led approach to preventing, reducing and responding to family violence in Indigenous communities. Under the South Australian Women’s Safety strategy, a working group has been established to develop responses to Indigenous family violence.

Migrant women

The Australian Government is working to help prevent violence against migrant women through various orientation and settlement education programs. For more information about these programs, see paragraphs 7.13 to 7.18.

Women with disability

The National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children will be specifically consulting with the peak non-government body representing women with disabilities in Australia —Women With Disabilities Australia . The Australian Government provided funding to this organisation to help develop the Resource Manual on Violence Against Women with Disabilities . The manual was published in 2007.

Australia ’s international activity to prevent violence against women

The Australian Government has been particularly active in international forums to address violence against women, including the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Australia has co-sponsored several resolutions on eliminating violence against women and provided information to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women on Australia ’s activities to eliminate violence against women in 2002, and again in 2008.

The Australian Government overseas aid agency, AusAID, is currently conducting an evaluation on interventions to deal with violence against women in five countries in the region— Fiji , Vanuatu , Solomon Islands , Papua New Guinea and East Timor . The evaluation seeks ‘to build the evidence base to guide efforts to address violence against women and promote gender equality’—that is, what works and what does not work in programs used to reduce violence against women in Melanesia and East Timor . The evaluation will provide lessons from the region and recommendations for strengthening and increasing support to address violence against women. The report is due for completion in 2008.

Endnotes

1 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Address to the International Women’s Day Morning Tea, Old Parliament House, Canberra , 11 March 2008.

2 The remaining 2 per cent were joint/multiple applications; for example, a union lodged on behalf of members in a workplace.

3 New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Board 2007, New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Board Annual Report 2007 .

4 In 2006–07, these numbered 197, or 82 per cent of sex-discrimination related complaints, New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Board Annual Report 2007 .

5 State and territory offices for women are:

New South Wales : Office for Women, in the Department of Premier and Cabinet

Victoria : Office of Women’s Policy, in the Department of Planning and Community Development

Queensland : Office for Women, in the Department of Child Safety

South Australia : Office for Women, in the Attorney-General’s Department

Western Australia : Office for Women’s Policy, in the Department for Communities

Tasmania : Women Tasmania , in the Department of Premier and Cabinet

Northern Territory : Office of Women’s Policy, in the Department of the Chief Minister

Australian Capital Territory : Office for Women, in the Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services.

6 The Cabinet of Australia is a council of senior Australian Government ministers chaired by the Prime Minister. The strictly private Cabinet meetings usually occur once a week to discuss vital issues and formulate policy. Outside of Cabinet, there are a number of junior ministers responsible for specific policy areas, who report directly to senior ministers.

7 The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) is the peak inter-governmental forum in Australia , comprising the Australian Prime Minister, State Premiers, Territory Chief Ministers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association. The council’s role is to initiate, develop and monitor implementation of policy reforms that are of national significance and require cooperative action by all levels of government.

8 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2007, 2006 Census Tables , ABS, Canberra .

9 Bittman, M 1991, Juggling Time: How Australian Families Use Time , Office of the Status of Women, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Canberra .

10 Balancing Work and Family: Report on the inquiry into balancing work and family , 2006 House of Representative Standing Committee on Family and Human Services, Canberra .

11 Wilson, J 2008, Composition of Australian Parliament s by Party and Gender, as at 18  February 2008 , Politics and Public Administration Group, Parliamentary Library, Canberra.

12 For more information about High Court justices, go to <http://www.hcourt.gov.au/ justices_01.html>.

13 Unpublished data provided by the statutory appointments officer of the New South Wales Attorney-General’s Department.

14 Figures derived from Table 48, Australian Public Service Bulletin 2006–07 , Australian Public Service Commission. Note: In Australia , it is voluntary for public servants to provide data about workplace diversity, with the exception of sex. Therefore data tend to under-represent the actual number of employees in minority groups.

15 NSW Public Sector Workforce Profile, EEO Statistical Spreadsheet, Total Public Sector, 2007.

16 NSW Public Sector Workforce Profile, EEO Statistical Spreadsheet, Total Public Sector, 2007.

17 Comparisons between the 2004 and 2006 censuses have been made, as these are more comparable than the 2003 census data.

18 Piterman, H 2008, The leadership challenge: Women in management , Committee for Economic Development of Australia, Melbourne.

19 ABS 2003 & 2007, Education and work , Cat. No. 6227.0, ABS, Canberra .

20 ABS 2008, Schools, Australia , 2007 , Cat. No. 4221.0, ABS, Canberra .

21 Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) 2005, National Report on Schooling in Australia , MCEETYA, Canberra .

22 Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), Indigenous Education Programs Fact Sheet, DEST, Canberra .

23 MCEETYA 2007, National Report on Schooling in Australia 2006, Preliminary Paper: National Benchmark Results: Reading , Writing and Numeracy, years 3, 5 and 7 , MCEETYA, Canberra , available at <http://www.mceetya.edu.au/verve/_resources/ANR2007Bmrks-Layout_FINAL.pdf>.

24 MCEETYA 2008, National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Summary Report: Achievement in Reading , Writing, Language Conventions and Numeracy , MCEETYA, Canberra , available at <http://www.naplan.edu.au/ verve/_resources/NAPLAN_Summary_Report.pdf>.

25 MCEETYA 2007, National Report on Schooling in Australia 2006, Preliminary Paper: National Benchmark Results: Reading , Writing and Numeracy, years 3, 5 and 7 , MCEETYA, Canberra .

26 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2007, Education at a Glance , OECD.

27 DEST 2006, Selected higher education statistics 2006 , DEST, Canberra .

28 DEST Higher education statistics collection.

29 Statistics do not include diplomas, other undergraduate courses, enabling and non-award courses.

30 ABS 2007, Education and Work , Cat. No. 6227.0, ABS, Canberra .

31 DEST unpublished data.

32 DEST 2006, Selected higher education statistics, 2006 , DEST, Canberra . With the exception of information technology and engineering courses, the targets have been met. In 2006, women accounted for 19.3 per cent of engineering enrolments, 52.4 per cent in natural and physical sciences, 41.1 per cent in architecture and building, 50.0 per cent in agriculture, environmental and related studies, and 48.6 per cent in management and commerce.

33 Newmarch, E, Taylor-Steele, S & Cumpston, A 2000, Women in IT—what are the barriers?, Department of Education and Training, Canberra .

34 DEST 2006, Selected higher education statistics 2006 , DEST, Canberra .

35 Graduate Careers Australia (GCA) 2007, Gradstats , No. 12, December, GCA. These figures do not add to exactly 100 per cent due to rounding.

36 GCA 2007, Gradstats , No. 12, December, GCA.

37 GCA 2007, Gradstats , No. 12, December, GCA.

38 National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Australian vocational education and training (VET) statistics.

39 NCVER, VET Provider Collection, 2007.

40 NCVER, VET Provider Collection, 2007.

41 NCVER, VET Provider Collection, 2007.

42 NCVER, Australian vocational education and training statistics.

43 NCVER, 2007 Student Outcomes Survey.

44 NCVER, 2007 Student Outcomes Survey.

45 NCVER, 2006 Atlas of Australian Public VET— Tasmania , Tables 1.3 and 1.5.

46 Skills Tasmania 2006, Tasmanian VET Provider Collection.

47 NCVER, National apprentices and trainees collection, December 2007.

48 NCVER, National apprentices and trainees collection, December 2007.

49 NCVER, National apprentices and trainees collection, December 2007.

50 NCVER, National apprentices and trainees collection, December 2007.

51 Newstart 2005–06 Superstar Database, 17 June 2005.

52 Newstart 2005–06 Superstar Database, 17 June 2005.

53 Extracted from Centrelink data using BRIO software, 2006 calendar year.

54 ABS 2008, Labour Force Survey, June 2008 , Cat. No. 6202, ABS, Canberra .

55 ABS 2008, Labour Force Survey, June 2008 , Cat. No. 6202, ABS, Canberra .

56 ABS 2008, Labour Force Survey, June 2008 , Cat. No. 6202, ABS, Canberra .

57 ABS 2008, Labour Force Survey, June 2008 , Cat. No. 6202, ABS, Canberra .

58 ABS 2008, Australian Labour Market Statistics, July 2008 , Cat. No. 6105.0, ABS, Canberra .

59 ABS, 2008, Average Weekly Earnings, February 2008 , Cat. No. 6302.0, ABS, Canberra .

60 Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) 2008, Gender Income Distribution of Top Earners Report , EOWA, Sydney .

61 ABS 2007, Barriers and Incentives to Labour Force Participation, July 2006 to June 2007 , Cat. No. 6239.0, ABS, Canberra .

62 ABS 2006, Pregnancy and Employment Transitions, Australia , November 2005 , Cat. No.  4913.0, ABS, Canberra .

63 Baxter, J, Gray, M, Alexander, M, Strazdins, L & Bittman, M 2007, Mothers and fathers with young children: Paid employment, caring and wellbeing: An analysis of Growing Up in Australia : The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children , Social Policy Research Paper No. 30, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Canberra .

64 ABS 2006, Child Care , Australia , 2005 , Cat. No. 4402.0 (reissue), ABS, Canberra .

65 ABS 2008, Labour Force Australia , April 2008 , Cat. No. 6202.0.

66 EOWA 2008, Gender Income Distribution of Top Earners Report , EOWA, Sydney .

67 ABS 2007, Forms of Employment Survey November 2007 , Cat. No.6359.0 ABS, Canberra .

68 EOWA surveys Australian non-government employers with 100 or more employees annually, including private companies, NGOs, universities and non-government schools.

69 ABS 2007, Labour Force Characteristics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians , Cat. No. 6287.0, ABS, Canberra . Indigenous labour force estimates are released each year, based on 12-monthly pooled samples from the ABS Labour Force Survey. Only around 3,500 Indigenous people were interviewed for the survey in 2007; this represents only about two-hundredths of 1 per cent of the total civilian population in that year. Because of the extremely small sample size of the Indigenous population (especially across some states, territories and communities), these estimates are sensitive to wide statistical fluctuations.

70 ABS 2007, Average Weekly Earnings, April 2008 , Cat. No. 6302.0, ABS, Canberra . Nominal values converted to constant dollar values by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs using the September 2007 quarter Consumer Price Index.

71 Community Development Employment Projects Program participation rates identified in the 2006 census under-represent the actual number of participants in the program. In the census, the ABS only attempted to measure participation for people enumerated using the Indigenous Household Form, which was generally only used in discrete Indigenous communities.

72 ABS 2008, Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanded Australians , 2006, Cat. No. 4713.0, ABS, Canberra .

73 ABS 2003, Disability, Ageing and Carers: Summary of Findings, Australia , 2003 , Cat.  No. 4430.0, ABS, Canberra .

74 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2006, Australia ’s Health 2006 , AIHW and ABS, Canberra .

75 AIHW 2006, Australia ’s Health, 2006 , AIHW, Canberra .

76 Hirst, C 2005, Re-birthing: Report of the Review of Maternity Services in Queensland , Queensland Health, available at <www.health.qld.gov.au/publications/corporate/maternity_report2005/MaternityReview_FullDoc.pdf>

77 Medicare Australia is an Australian Government agency that delivers health and payment programs to Australians.

78 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2007, Health at a Glance, OECD.

79 OECD 2007, Health at a Glance.

80 ABS 2007, Deaths, Australia , 2006 , Cat. No. 3302.0, ABS, Canberra .

81 ABS 2007, Deaths, Australia , 2006 , Cat. No. 3302.0, ABS, Canberra .

82 ABS 2004–05, National Health Survey, 2004–05 , Cat. No. 4364.0, ABS, Canberra .

83 Begg, S, Vos, T, Barker, B, Stevenson, C, Stanley, L & Lopez, AD 2007, Burden of Disease and Injury in Australia 2003 , AIHW, Canberra .

84 AIHW 2006, Australia ’s Health, 2006 , Cat. No. AUS 73, AIHW, Canberra .

85 Sullivan, EA, Hall, B & King, JF 2008, ‘Maternal deaths in Australia 2003–05’, Maternal deaths series no. 3, Cat. No. PER 42, AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit, Sydney.

86 Sullivan, EA, Hall, B & King, JF 2008, ‘Maternal deaths in Australia 2003–05’, Maternal deaths series no. 3, Cat. No. PER 42, AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit, Sydney.

87 ABS 2005, Deaths, Australia , 2005 , Cat. No. 3302.0, ABS, Canberra .

88 ABS 2007, The health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women: A snapshot, 2004–05 , Cat. No. 4722.0.55.001, ABS, Canberra .

89 Koorie (also spelled Koori) is a word that some Indigenous Australians in New South Wales and Victoria use to identify themselves, and has become understood to mean ‘Indigenous Australians from south eastern Australia ’.

90 Singh, M & de Looper, M 2002, Australian Health Inequalities: Birthplace , Bulletin No.  2, AIHW.

91 AIHW 2008, Australia ’s Health, 2008 , AIHW, Canberra .

92 AIHW 2008, Australia ’s Health, 2008 , AIHW, Canberra .

93 AIHW 2008, Australia ’s Health, 2008 , AIHW, Canberra .

94 AIHW 2008, Australia ’s Health, 2008 , AIHW, Canberra .

95 AIHW 2007, ‘Breast Cancer in Australia : An overview, 20 06’, Cancer series No. 34, Cat.  No. 29, AIHW, Canberra .

96 AIHW 2008, ‘Cervical screening in Australia 2005–06’, Cancer series No. 41, Cat. No.  CAN 36, AIHW, Canberra .

97 AIHW media release 22 June 2007, ‘Cervical screening especially important for women in their 20s and 30s’, AIHW, Canberra .

98 National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (NCHECR), HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections in Australia Annual Surveillance Report 2007 , NCHECR, University of New South Wales, Sydney and AIHW, Canberra.

99 Grayson, N, Hargreaves, J & Sullivan, EA 2005, Use of routinely collected national data sets for reporting on induced abortion in Australia , Cat. No. PER 30, AIHW, Canberra .

100 ABS 2007, Australian Social Trends, 2007 , Cat. No. 4102.0, ABS, Canberra .

101 ABS 2007, Births, Australia , 2006 , Cat. No. 3301.0, ABS, Canberra .

102 The Therapeutic Goods Authority (TGA) is the Australian Government agency that regulates therapeutic goods.

103 ABS 2007, How Australians Use Their Time, 2006 , Cat. No 4153.0, ABS, Canberra .

104 ABS 2004, Disability, ageing and carers, Australia : Summary of findings, 2003 , Cat. No.  4430.0, ABS, Canberra .

105 ABS 2004, Disability, Ageing and Carers Australia : Summary of findings, 2003 , Cat No.  4430.0, ABS, Canberra .

106 Women’s Health Australia 2006, Preliminary Report for the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Employed Carers in Mid-life: Findings from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health , Women’s Health Australia .

107 ABS 2007, Voluntary Work , Australia , 2006 , Cat. No. 4441.0, ABS, Canberra .

108 ABS, Labour Force Survey , Cat. No. 6224.0.55.001, unpublished data.

109 Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Taxation statistics 2006–07, ATO, Canberra .

110 Roy Morgan Research 2005, ANZ Survey of Financial Literacy in Australia .

111 House Standing Committee on Economics, Finance and Public Administration 2006, Inquiry into improving the superannuation savings of people under 40 , Recommendation 3, The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra , 19 June.

112 ABS 2007, How Australians Use Their Time, 2006 , Cat. No 4153.0, ABS, Canberra .

113 Time Use Fellowships Monograph 2003–04, It’s About Time! Women, men, unpaid work, leisure and wellbeing, unpublished.

114 Time Use Fellowships Monograph 2003–04, ‘It’s About Time! Women, men, unpaid work, leisure and wellbeing, unpublished.

115 Australian Government Office for Women (OfW) 2008, Participation in Sport and Recreation by Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women , OfW, Canberra .

116 ABS 2006, 2006 Year Book , Australia , Cat. No. 1301.0, ABS, Canberra .

117 ABS Census 2006.

118 ABS Census 2006.

119 Houghton, K & Strong, P 2004, Women in Business in Rural and Remote Australia —Growing Regional Economies , Publication No. 04/130, RIRDC Project No. SES-1A, Australian Government Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra .

120 ABS 2006, Personal Safety, Australia , 2005 , Cat. No. 4906.0, ABS, Canberra .

121 Australian Government Office for Women 2004, The Cost of Domestic Violence to the Economy , OfW, Canberra .

122 NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research 2007, Increase in the Conviction Rate for Sexual Offences in NSW Courts , September, available at <www.boscar.nsw.gov.au>.

123 Date Analysis Australia 2007, Analysis of the 2005 Personal Safety Survey , Nedlands.

124 These statistics were generated from Northern Territory Police data. Due to an anomaly in the police recording of victim characteristics, from 1 January to 29 April 2007 the Indigenous status of Indigenous victims was recorded as ‘not known’. Victims whose Indigenous status was recorded like this have been distributed, based on the proportion of victims whose Indigenous status is known.