4533.0 - Directory of Family and Domestic Violence Statistics, 2011  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/11/2011   
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Contents >> Victorian Family Violence Database

VICTORIAN FAMILY VIOLENCE DATABASE


DASHBOARD METADATA

Geographic CoverageFrequencyData Availability
National
New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
Western Australia
South Australia
Tasmania
Northern Territory
ACT
Regional
LGA
ASGC Remoteness
Other
More than annual
Annual
2-4 yearly
Less than 5 yearly
Once only
Ad hoc
Detailed publication / report publicly available
Data cubes / spreadsheets publicly available
Agency annual report
Customised data - free upon request1
Customised data - charged consultancy1
Not published - may be available on request1
Not publicly available
[1] May be subject to release conditions

DETAILED METADATA

Contact

Data custodian: Victorian Department of Justice

Contact: Family Violence Coordinator, Victims Support Agency

Address: 23/121 Exhibition St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000

Telephone: 03 8684 6751

Facsimile: 03 8684 6777

Email: vsa@justice.vic.gov.au

Internet: http://www.justice.vic.gov.au

Publications

http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/DOJ+Internet/Home/Crime/Research+and+Statistics/JUSTICE+-+Victorian+Family+Violence+Database+-+Nine+Year+Report+-+PDF

Purpose

To provide data on patterns and trends of public reporting of family violence in Victoria in the context of family violence reform initiatives – since 1999. The Report provides valuable information on relevant policy initiatives and helps build a picture of family violence in Victoria to better inform future policy and service delivery.

Description

This report provides trend analysis of state-wide, cross-sector, whole of government family violence reports in Victoria. The latest report contains nearly a decade of Victorian family violence data from 1999–2008, including:
  • Victoria Police family violence incident reports
  • Victorian Magistrates’ and Children's Court finalised intervention order applications
  • Victorian Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP)
  • Victorian Public Hospital Emergency Departments
  • The Department of Justice Victims of Crime Helpline
  • The Department of Human Services Integrated Reporting and Information System (IRIS).

Collection Type

Secondary data source.
Primary data cited is administrative data.

Family and Domestic Violence related content (data items collected)

Data Item
Victim
Secondary victim
(children)
Offender
Demographics
Age
Sex
Indigenous Status
1 4 5
Disability
1
Country of Birth
3 4
Language spoken
1 2 5
Employment
Education
Income
Geography
2 3 4 5
Other
Personal data item
Services used / referrals to services
counselling
legal
financial
housing

crisis
other




1


Victim programs3;
Source of referral5



1










Referrals to offender programs3
Health factors
pregnancy
alcohol use / substance use
mental illness
3
3
3

FDV-related perceptions
satisfaction with police response
seriousness/ regarded as criminal
whether problem in neighbourhood
feelings of safety / fear
3
3
3

Prior history of victimisation / offending
3
Known outcomes
application for violence order
violence order issued

offender charged
offender went to court
offender found guilty
offender sentence type
child protection involvement
time off work / economic costs
medical treatment received / type
changed routine
other

2 3
2 3
3

2

3

4 5

2 3 5
See appendix for other outcomes
Other personal data items

Number of reports of DV1 2 3 4 5;
Risk assessment3 5;
Assessed future risk of violence3;
Completed safety plan5;
Assessed victim's level of fear3
Data Item
Incident
Location
home
workplace
school/place of education/institution
public place
other
Relationship between parties
married/de facto spouse
current / former partner/boyfriend/girlfriend
parent-child
sibling
other member of household
other relatives
relationships of personal or financial dependency
2 3







Weapon use
type of weapon
Alcohol involved
Substance use involved
3
3
Physical injury sustained
type of injury
4 6

Reported to police
reasons for not reporting
Other

Family violence incidents where children are reported as present or affected 1 2 3 5
1 Source: Supported Accommodation Assistance Program
2 Source: Courts
3 Source: Police
4 Source: Public Hospital Emergency Departments
5 Source: Department of Human Services Clients
6 Treatment received only. Data are not available for type of treatment.


Definition of Family and Domestic Violence

Family violence is defined for the purposes of the database according to Victorian legislation. For data prior to the commencement of the Family Violence Protection Act (2008), the term family violence is defined as:
    Violent, threatening, coercive or controlling behaviour in current or past familial, domestic or intimate relationships. This encompasses not only physical injury but direct or indirect threats, sexual assault, emotional and psychological torment, economic control, property damage, social isolation and behaviour which causes a person to live in fear. Family violence is committed primarily, though not exclusively, by men against women. This definition encompasses violence against children and between siblings and is not limited to criminal behaviours as identified in the Victorian Crimes (Family Violence) Act 1987.

Prior to the commencement of the Family Violence Protection Act (2008) definitions used by each agency that contributes data to the Victorian Family Violence Database differ according to their legislation or agency requirements.

The Family Violence Protection Act (2008) includes an expanded definition of family violence, such that:
    • ‘violence’ includes behaviours that are physically or sexually abusive, emotionally, psychologically or economically abusive, threatening, coercive or which cause a person to fear for the safety or cause a child to hear or witness the above types of behaviours.
    • ‘family member’ now includes a relationship between a person with a disability and the person’s carer where they are dependent on support.
This expanded definition will be reflected in data increasingly from 2009 onwards.

Aspects of FDV captured by the data are:
    • Physical abuse
    • Sexual abuse
    • Psychological /emotional abuse
    • Verbal abuse
    • Economic abuse
    • Social abuse
    • Property damage
    • Harassment and stalking

Relationship to Conceptual Framework for Family and Domestic Violence (Cat. No. 4529.0)

Conceptual Framework Element / Sub-element
Amount of Information Available
None
Some
Detailed
Context
Environmental Factors
Individual pyscho-social factors
Risk
Community prevalence
Community incidence
Understandings and acknowledgments of risk and safety
Incident
Responses
Informal responses
Formal system responses
Impacts/Outcomes
Programs, Research & Evaluation

Geographic coverage and disaggregation

Victoria

Data available for:
Victoria
Local Government Area (LGA)

Frequency / Timing

2-3 years

Collection history

Collection commenced: 1999

Breaks in series: n/a

Other details: n/a

Data availability / Dissemination

Detailed report published every 2-3 years.

Other data sources held by this agency

COURTLINK - Victorian Magistrates' and Children's Court
Has this data source changed?
Contact the ABS to report updates or corrections to the information above.



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