WHY NOW?

The need for prevention has never been greater. Voice of Change is here to lead it.

Domestic and family violence (DFV) is Australia’s hidden crisis. One in four women has experienced violence by a partner or former partner, and tragically, one woman is killed every week. The impacts are deep, long-lasting, and intergenerational — affecting families, communities, and the fabric of our society.

Voice of Change exists to drive a national culture shift. With a growing need for prevention, evolving policy landscapes, and corporate responsibility front and centre, the time to act is now. Through powerful storytelling, evidence-based education, and practical action, our programs challenge harmful norms and help create safer homes, workplaces, and communities.

THE STATISTICS

1 in 4 women

in Australia has experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner since the age of 15 (AIHW, 2024).

Two-thirds of

women and men experiencing DFV are employed — making the workplace a critical site for intervention (NRA).

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women were 34 times

as likely to be hospitalised for family violence as non- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in 2016/17 (AIHW, 2019).

1 woman is killed

every 11 days by an intimate partner in 2022-2023 (AIHW, 2025).

DFV is the leading cause

of homelessness for women and children, with the number of women and children currently experiencing persistent homelessness is 15,663 (AIHW, 2024).

$26 billion per year

is the estimated total cost of DFV to the Australian economy (PwC, 2016).

1 in 2 women

have experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime (AHRC, 2022).

NATIONAL IMPACT OF DFV

  • Children were present in 1 in 3 cases of intimate partner homicide (AIHW, 2021).

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 32x more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence (AIHW, 2020) . Indigenous women are most affected by domestic violence but have struggled to be heard. It’s time we listened.

DFV IN THE WORKPLACE

  • Two-thirds of women experiencing DFV are employed making the workplace a critical site for intervention (Our Watch, 2023).

  • $2.1 billion per year is the estimated cost of DFV to Australian employers (KPMG, 2020).

  • 1 in 5 people affected by DFV report that the abuse followed them to work, including harassment and stalking (DVNSW, 2022).

  • Organisations with effective bystander training see up to a 37%increase in intervention rates (ANROWS, 2021).

BEHAVIOURAL & CULTURAL DRIVERS

  • Gender inequality is the most consistent predictor of higher rates of violence against women (Our Watch, Change the Story).

  • 71% of Australians believe that DFV is a serious problem, yet many still hold victim-blaming beliefs (VicHealth, National Community Attitudes Survey, 2021).

SYSTEMIC COSTS & REACH

  • Over 400,000 women experience violence from an intimate partner every year in Australia (ABS Personal Safety Survey, 2021).

  • DFV is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children (AIHW, 2023).