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Contact details
Purpose
Description
Definition of family and domestic violence
Relationship to Defining the data challenge for family, domestic and sexual violence (cat. no. 4529.0)
Family and domestic violence related content (data items collected)
Collection methodology
Scope / Target population
Coverage
Data availability / Dissemination
Publications
Collection history
Other directory data sources held by this agency
WOMEN'S SAFETY SURVEY, AUSTRALIA (WSS)
DASHBOARD METADATA
| Collection type |  | Geographic coverage | | Frequency | | Data availability |
|
| |
| |
| |
- Detailed publication/report publicly available
- Data cubes/spreadsheets publicly available
- Customised data - charged consultancy 1
|
[1] May be subject to release conditions
DETAILED METADATA
Contact details
| Data custodian | Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| Contact | National Information and Referral Service |
| Address | Locked Bag 10, Belconnen, ACT, 2616 |
| Telephone | 1300 135 070 |
| Facsimile | 1300 135 211 |
| Email | client.services@abs.gov.au |
| Internet | https://www.abs.gov.au |
PURPOSE
| Information was collected about women’s safety at home and in the community. In particular, information focused on women’s experience of physical and sexual violence by male and female perpetrators, the nature of violence, the actions women took after experiencing violence and the effect on their lives. The survey also collected information on incidents of stalking and harassment |
DESCRIPTION
| The survey was funded by the Office of the Status of Women (OSW) and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services, both of which have responsibility for developing and implementing policies relating to women. |
DEFINITION OF FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The Women’s Safety Survey defines violence as any incident involving the occurrence, attempt or threat of either physical or sexual assault.
Physical assault involves the use of physical force with the intent to harm or frighten a woman. An attempt or threat to inflict physical harm is included only if a woman believes it is able and likely to be carried out. Sexual assault includes acts of a sexual nature carried out against a woman's will through the use of physical force, intimidation or coercion, or any attempts to do this. Unwanted sexual touching is excluded from sexual assault. Sexual threat involves the threat of an act of a sexual nature which the woman believes is able and likely to be carried out.
Aspects of FDV captured in the data are:
- physical abuse;
- sexual abuse;
- psychological abuse;
- property damage; and
- harassment and stalking.
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RELATIONSHIP TO DEFINING THE DATA CHALLENGE FOR FAMILY, DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE (cat. no. 4529.0)
The summary table below is designed to indicate the amount of information available for each of the six elements outlined in
Defining the Data Challenge for Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence, 2013 (cat. no. 4529.0).This is a subjective assessment made by the ABS about the data collected and is not an indication of data quality.
FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED CONTENT (data items collected)
The following tables provide a detailed analysis of the availability of specified data elements in the data source. The data items have been grouped into four counting units:
1. Context;
2. Person;
3. Incident/Event; and
4. Transaction.
Tables are absent from the entry in cases where the data source contains no data items which relate to the particular counting unit/s.
Context
[1] Respondent may or may not have experienced family and domestic violence.
Person
[1] Respondent may or may not have experienced family and domestic violence.
[2] The WSS cannot provide reliable information about the levels of violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in the sample was small. Incident/event
Transaction
COLLECTION METHODOLOGY
A representative sample of women in private dwellings was selected. Both urban and rural areas were included in the sample. Due to the need for specific training and support for interviewers enumerating this survey, the size of the sample selected in rural and remote areas was reduced, while ensuring that the sample was fully representative of the Australian population.
Information was obtained from selected respondents by personal or telephone interview, or a combination of both. Interviewers received additional sensitivity and awareness training to increase their understanding and ability to deal with issues relating to violence against women. A specific requirement of this survey was that interviews had to be conducted alone.
The survey was not compulsory, and women were advised they were not under obligation to respond. Approximately 6,300 women completed the survey, representing a response rate of 78%. |
SCOPE/TARGET POPULATION
| Women aged 18 years and over who were usual residents of randomly selected households. |
COVERAGE
Women aged 18 and over who were a usual resident of the selected household (private dwelling).Women excluded from the survey include:
- certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, customarily excluded from census and surveys
- overseas residents in Australia
- members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependents) stationed in Australia and
- residents of special dwelling such as hospitals, retirements villages, refuges, etc
|
| In general, the survey does not support reliable estimates for the States and Territories. Nor does it allow for detailed disaggregation of the data. |
DATA AVAILABILITY / DISSEMINATION
The main publication and state/territory data cubes for selected data items can be downloaded free of charge from the ABS website.
Microdata are available in the form of a Confidentialised Unit Record File (CURF). Information about how to apply for microdata is available on the ABS website. Additional tailored tables, providing more detail, or data items not included in the publication are available on request as a 'user pays' service.
|
PUBLICATIONS
COLLECTION HISTORY
Collection commenced: February – April 1996
Break in series: No
| Other details: The Personal Safety Survey builds on the WSS and provides more recent data. |
OTHER DATA SOURCES HELD BY THIS AGENCY
Crime Victimisation, Australia
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS)
Personal Safety Survey, Australia (PSS)
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