Attitudes towards domestic violence

Minimising domestic violence

Minimizing the impact of domestic violence can be harmful for those experiencing domestic violence and reducing domestic violence in the community (Pennay & Powell, 2012). Therefore, we explore the attitudes Wagga Wagga residents have towards the seriousness of domestic violence behaviours. The figure below represents the level of agreement (as percentages of the survey population) that the behaviours of domestic violence are serious from 2016 to 2021 in Wagga Wagga. As can be seen in figure 7, rates of agreement on the seriousness of each of the behaviours of domestic violence have stayed consistently high from 2016 to 2021. However, there very few increases in attitudes towards the seriousness of domestic violence. The only increase in awareness from 2016 to 2021 was for controlling access to money. Respondents in 2021 were 1.6 times more likely to agree controlling access to money is a serious form of domestic violence than respondents of 2016.

Figure 7. Responses (as percentages of the entire survey population) who agree that the specified behaviours of domestic violence are serious.

Gender

After controlling for all demographic factors collected in the survey, males and females in Wagga Wagga in 2021 significantly differed on their agreement on the seriousness of all the domestic violence behaviours (see table 10). Overall, women were more likely to agree the domestic violence behaviours are serious than the men in the sample. Females were 4.2 times more likely to agree that slaps or pushes is serious than males. Females were also 3.6 times more likely to agree forcing a partner to have sex is serious, 10.1 times more likely to agree threatening violence to others is serious, and 5.0 times more likely to say throwing or smashing objects is serious compared to the males in the sample. It was also found that females were 2.4 times likely to agree repeated criticism is serious, 4.8 times more likely to agree controlling social life, and 6.9 times more likely to agree denying access to finances are serious compared to males. Finally, females and males also differed on tracking a partner and harassment by messages, with females 5.1 times more likely to agree tracking a partner is serious and 5.7 times more likely harassment by messages are serious than males in Wagga Wagga.

Behaviour Males % Females % Significant Difference

Slaps/pushes to cause harm and fear* Forces partner to have sex* Tries to scare/control partner by threatening to hurt others*

98.1 99.4 Yes 93.0 97.6 Yes 97.9 99.6 Yes

Throws/smashes objects to frighten/threaten* 5.0 81.9 91.1 Yes Repeatedly criticises to make partner feel bad/useless* 93.8 98.5 Yes

Control social life by preventing partner seeing family and friends*

93.8 98.5 Yes Tries to control by denying partner access to money* 90.9 98.3 Yes

Tracking partner’s movements/calls/activities* 90.7 98.3 Yes Harasses by repeated phone calls/email/text messages* 91.8 98.2 Yes Note: *indicates a significant difference

Age

As can be seen in table 11, attitudes towards the seriousness of domestic violence behaviours differed across the age-groups in the Wagga Wagga community in 2021. The age-groups only agreed on the seriousness of the domestic violence for three of the nine behaviours: slaps or pushes, tracking a partner, and harassment by messages. When it came to forcing a partner to have sex, 18 to 24 year old were 12.2 times more likely to agree this behaviour is serious than 40 to 55 years old’s, while over 55 residents were 7.1 times more likely to agree this behaviour is serious than 40 to 55 year old residents. For the behaviours threatening violence to others and throwing or smashing objects, residents aged over 55 were more likely to agree they are serious than residents aged between 40 and 55. Specifically over 55’s were 17.7 times more likely to agree threatening violence to others and 3.1 times more likely to agree throwing or smashing objects is serious. Consistent with the trend that older residents are more likely to agree domestic violence behaviours are serious, over 55s were 2.8 times more likely to agree repeated criticism is serious than 25 to 39 year old. Additionally, 25 to 39 year old residents were 4.9 times more likely to agree denying access to money is serious than 18 to 24 year old residents. For the final behaviour age of controlling social life, younger residents were more likely to agree the behaviour is serious with those aged between 18 to 24 being 15.1 times more likely to agree than those aged between 40 and 55, and residents aged 25 to 39 are 3.8 times more likely to agree than residents aged 40 to 55.

Table 11. Percentage of residents in Wagga Wagga in 2021 who agree that the following domestic violence behaviours are serious, separated by age group.

Behaviour 18-24 % 25-39 % 40-55 % 56+ % Significant Difference

Slaps/pushes to cause harm and fear 99.3 100 98.4 98.1 No Forces partner to have sex* 99.3 93.1 92.0 97.9 Yes

Tries to scare/control partner by threatening to hurt others*

Throws/smashes objects to frighten/threaten* Repeatedly criticises to make partner feel bad/useless*

77.8 85.3 85.6 91.9 Yes

Control social life by preventing partner seeing family and friends*

99.3 98.5 94.0 95.4 Yes

Tries to control by denying partner access to money*

90.3 96.9 94.0 95.4 Yes

Tracking partner’s movements/calls/activities 95.1 96.9 92.8 95.4 No

Harasses by repeated phone calls/email/text messages 96.5 93.1 94.8 95.2 No Note: *indicates a significant difference

Ethnicity

In 2021, few differences were found between people from different ethnicities in Wagga Wagga on the seriousness on domestic violence behaviours. ATSI residents (91.8%) were 3.7 times more likely to agree repeated criticism is serious than those who are from Other ethnicities (81.1%). Significant differences were also found for tracking a partner. ATSI residents (98.4%) were 15 times more likely while Anglo-Saxon (95.8%) were 2.7 times more likely than those from Other ethnicities, to agree that tracking a partner is serious.

Education

The education level of residents in Wagga Wagga made little difference on their attitudes towards domestic violence behaviours. Residents who studied to high school, at TAFE or Trade school, or at university had similar views on the seriousness of domestic violence for 7 out of the 9 behaviours. The two behaviours where significant differences were found were for repeated criticism and tracking a partner. For example, residents who went to TAFE or Trade school (90.8%) were 1.9 times more likely to state that repeated criticism is serious compared to residents with a high school education (82.1%). Additionally, those who with a high school education (95.0%) 8 times more likely to agree that tracking a partner is a serious form of domestic violence than individuals with a university education (93.5%).

Employment and Income

Consistent with ethnicity and education, a resident’s employment status and income level made minimal difference on the likelihood of a resident agreeing a domestic violence behaviour is serious. Employment status differences were only found for forcing a partner to have sex and threatening violence to others. Income level on the other hand was only important for tracking a partner and harassment by messages. Residents employed (95.8% and 99.2%, respectively) at the time of the survey in 2021 were 5.3 times more likely to agree forcing a partner to have sex is serious, and 18.4 times more likely to agree threatening violence to others is serious than residents that were not employed in Wagga Wagga at the time of the survey (94.9% and 98%, respectively).

When it came to income level and attitudes towards the seriousness of domestic violence, residents earning between $51,000 and $100,000 (96.8%) were 3.4 times more likely to agree harassment by messages than those earning $50,000 and under (93.2%). Similarly, residents in the higher income brackets were more likely to agree tracking a partner is a serious domestic violence behaviour. Specifically, those earning between $51,000 and $100,000 (98.3%) were 5.8 time more likely to agree tracking a partner is serious than those earning $50,000 or less (92.9%), while those earning $101,000 to $150,000 (95.1%) were 2.9 times more likely to agree this behaviour is serious than those earning $50,000 or less. Overall, the higher income brackets were more likely to agree a domestic violence behaviour is serious compared to the lowest income bracket.

Comments & Recommendations

• Females, ATSI, and older people are more likely to identify severity of DV. When DV impacts the physical person and their social life, young people would consider it as serious. Education and socio-economic status have a role in recognition of more sophisticated types of DV and its consequences. • Further efforts need to be exerted with males, other ethnicities, and those with lower education/socioeconomic statuses in recognising DV behaviour seriousness.