Summary
Aim
To examine changes in domestic and family violence victimisation in NSW.
Method
This is a descriptive study drawing upon data from crime victimisation surveys undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and recorded crime data from the NSW Police Force.
Results
Estimates from crime victim surveys provide evidence of a fall in the victimisation rate for physical domestic and family violence between 2010-12 to 2012-14 in NSW but no change from 2012-14 to 2014-16. There was no evidence of a change over this period in the proportion of victims reporting domestic and family violence to police. There is also evidence from police recorded crime of a statistically significant drop in the annual rate of domestic assault incidents occasioning grievous bodily harm from 5.8 per 100,000 in 2008/9 to 4.9 per 100,000 in 2015/16. Regional analysis showed that the rate of domestic violence occasioning grievous bodily harm was highest in the Far West and Orana region of NSW.
Conclusion
Both crime victim survey data and recorded crime data suggest that the victimisation rate for domestic and family violence has declined in NSW over the time period examined.