This VicHealth report looks into the growing issue of violence against women – including family violence and sexual assault – is a major public health problem and itsprevalence remains unacceptably high in Australia.
Intimate partner violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15 to 44 years, contributing more to ill health in this age group than other well-known risk factors such as smoking and obesity. Without appropriate action, the cost of this violence to the Australian economy is predicted to rise to $15.6 billion per year by 2021.