People of all ages, ethnicities, social and economic backgrounds can perpetrate or experience domestic and family violence. Domestic and family violence can also be perpetrated and experienced in all types of relationships, but it is mostly perpetrated by men against women. (NSW Police Force 2012)

The gendered nature of domestic and family violence

As well as being more common, violence perpetrated by men against women tends to be more severe than violence perpetrated by women against men. (NSW Domestic Violence Death Review Team 2013)

Men and women report different experiences of victimisation, with men rarely reporting living in ongoing states of fear; having prior experiences of violent relationships and having experienced post-separation violence. (Bagshaw, D & Chung, D 2000)

Women reporting violence in intimate relationships are also significantly more likely than men to experience repeated acts of violence. (ABS 2006)

Some groups who are more vulnerable to domestic and family violence include:

• Women with a disability
• Pregnant women
• Aboriginal women
• Women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer (LGBTIQ)
• Younger women
• Older women
• Women living in remote or rural communities
• Women with mental health and/or drug and alcohol issues