❓ A Western Australian parliamentary question seeks data on government monitoring of community attitudes towards family and domestic violence, statistics on female victims, and refuge access, including reasons for refusal and referral practices. The government provides some data from national surveys and existing reporting mechanisms, but lacks specific person-level refuge data.
AnsweredQoN 605Legislative Council
Asked
11 September 2025
Member
Portfolio
Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What work has been undertaken by the State Government since 2021 to monitor and report on Western Australian community attitudes to family and domestic violence, and: (a) has the Government commissioned or participated in any surveys, studies, or research since 2021; and (b) if yes to (a), what were they and who conducted them? (2) At the conclusion of the 2024–25 financial year, how many women in Western Australia will have been recorded as victims of family and domestic violence-related offences, broken down by: (a) physical and/or sexual violence; (b) emotional abuse; and (c) economic abuse? (3) In the 2023–24 financial year, how many women in Western Australia presented to family and domestic violence refuges: (a) of those in (3), how many were accepted and how many were refused; (b) what were the three most common reasons for refusal, listed in order of frequency; (c) how many women who were refused placement received no placement; and (d) how many women who were refused placement received no referral to an alternative service? (4) In the 2024–25 financial year, how many women in Western Australia presented to family and domestic violence refuges: (a) of those in (4), how many were accepted and how many were refused; (b) what were the three most common reasons for refusal, listed in order of frequency; (c) how many women who were refused placement received no placement; and (d) how many women who were refused placement received no referral to an alternative service?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2025
Responded by
Minister for Agriculture and Food representing the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence
Response time
4 days
(1a – b) The WA State Government is a member of the Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS). ANROWS administers the National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS). The survey is administered nationally every 4-5 years. The most recent findings relate to data from 2021. They are publicly available on the ANROWS website.
(2 a-c) This data item is available in two sources, as follows:
The ABS Recorded Crime data is publicly available up to 2023-24.
The WA Police Force crime statistics are publicly available, year to date.
Offences are counted in relation to the nature of offending as defined by the relevant legislation. Physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse can be captured under multiple crime types like assault, threatening behaviour, breach of violence restraining order or sexual assault (as an example).
(3a) In 2023-24, there were 2,390 women accommodated in refuges and safe houses in Western Australia.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which collects and reports this data, does not publish person-level data about an individual seeking, but not able to access refuge accommodation.
(b) For 2023-24, the three most common reasons for refuge services not provided in order of frequency were:
(c - d) In circumstances where a refuge bed is not available, women are supported to access hotel or motel accommodation, find safe accommodation with friends or family, and/or to access another appropriate service response.
(4a - d) Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data is not yet available for the 2024-25 reporting period.
(2 a-c) This data item is available in two sources, as follows:
The ABS Recorded Crime data is publicly available up to 2023-24.
The WA Police Force crime statistics are publicly available, year to date.
Offences are counted in relation to the nature of offending as defined by the relevant legislation. Physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse can be captured under multiple crime types like assault, threatening behaviour, breach of violence restraining order or sexual assault (as an example).
(3a) In 2023-24, there were 2,390 women accommodated in refuges and safe houses in Western Australia.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which collects and reports this data, does not publish person-level data about an individual seeking, but not able to access refuge accommodation.
(b) For 2023-24, the three most common reasons for refuge services not provided in order of frequency were:
(c - d) In circumstances where a refuge bed is not available, women are supported to access hotel or motel accommodation, find safe accommodation with friends or family, and/or to access another appropriate service response.
(4a - d) Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data is not yet available for the 2024-25 reporting period.
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