This project will provide the most up-to-date population-based estimates on the prevalence of violence among people with disability in Australia to inform the upcoming Royal Commission into Violence and Abuse against people with disability. In addition, we will identify existing Australian data sources and make recommendations for improvements including the potential for data linkages.
This project will provide the most up-to-date population-based estimates on the prevalence of violence and abuse among people with disability in Australia to inform a submission to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Exploitation and Neglect against people with disability. There is an urgent need for contemporary estimates of the prevalence of violence and abuse against people with disability for the public, policy makers and Commissioners to consider. This is particularly important as misinformation on the prevalence of violence is promulgated such as that 90% of women with intellectual disabilities have been sexually assaulted.
Our previous analysis of the 2012 ABS Personal Safety Survey showed that adults with disability are two to three times as likely to experience all forms of interpersonal violence (e.g. physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual violence) than those without disabilities.
Our research with young people has shown that 13 year old children with disability are more likely to be bullied (social and physical) and that this explains 40% of their poorer mental health than their peers. Using the Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australian survey, we have have also shown the adults with disability are more likely to be subjected to physical violence.
These analyses use data that are a few years out of date and are not presented for a non-academic audience. Furthermore extensive data on violence and disability were included in the 2016 Personal Safety Survey and other population-based surveys. Now more than ever it is important that statistics are based on the best available evidence, that limitations of current data are known and that there is a clearly identified way forward to improve the situation.
The project has four inter-connected components:
1) Provide an accessible, policy-relevant summary of the prevalence of violence and abuse among people with disability, using from the 2016 ABS Personal Safety Survey, the Ten to Men Survey and Longitudinal Study of Australian Children.
2) A report outlining existing Australian population-based research on disability and violence and abuse.
3) A report on the existing administrative and survey data sources in Australia including a summary of how each could be used, the potential for data linkage and recommendations for future research/analysis.
4) Development of an engagement and dissemination strategy which ensures the maximise impact of the research for the Commission and in the future.
Research Team:
Professor Anne Kavanagh, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne
Ms Lauren Krnjacki, Part-time Research Assistant and PhD student, Disability and Health Unit, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne
Ms Anne-Marie Bollier, Research Assistant, Disability and Health Unit, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne
Ms Jen Hargrave, Senior Policy Officer, Women with Disabilities Victoria and co-researcher, University of Melbourne
Professor Gwynnyth Llewellyn, Professor, Family and Disability Studies Head, WHO Collaborating Centre in Strengthening Rehabilitation Capacity in Health Systems
Professor Eric Emerson, Emeritus Professor of Disability and Health Research, Centre for Disability Research, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University Honorary Professor, Centre for Disability Research and Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney
Dr Sean Byars, Research Fellow, Disability and Health Unit, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne