Who Uses Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence, How, and Why? The State of Knowledge Report on Violence Perpetration

This report examines violence perpetration to help strengthen national efforts to end domestic, family, and sexual violence. Currently, there is limited data in Australia on who perpetrates violence, why it occurs, and how it can be prevented — leaving significant gaps in our ability to design effective interventions.

By focusing on the gendered and intersectional dynamics of perpetration, this report makes the case for better, more consistent national data collection. It explores what we know so far, highlights emerging methods for gathering robust and valid data, and identifies the opportunities this knowledge creates for prevention.

The report calls for deeper research into the drivers of perpetration, the factors that increase or reduce risk, and the pathways people take into — and out of — using violence. By centring perpetration, we can better target prevention efforts and contribute to ending violence in all its forms.