Ending violence
together
The Human & Co Commitment
Gender-based violence is one of the most critical issues facing Australia today. It touches every community, every postcode, every walk of life. And ending it takes all of us.
1 in 3
women in Australia has experienced physical violence since the age of 15. [1]
1 in 4
women has experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. [2]
$22B +
estimated annual cost of domestic violence to the Australian economy. [3]
1 in 3
women in Australia has experienced physical violence since the age of 15. [1]
1 in 4
women has experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. [2]
$22B +
estimated annual cost of domestic violence to the Australian economy. [3]
Understanding the issue.
Gender-based violence does not discriminate. It occurs across all demographic and age groups - in cities, regional towns, and remote communities alike. While no one is immune to its reach, we know that certain social, economic, and personal factors can heighten a person's vulnerability. Understanding this is not about assigning blame - it's about recognising where our systems need to work harder, and where our collective care needs to show up more fully.
“This is not a women's issue. It is all of our issue. Real change only happens when we face it together - as communities, as institutions, as individuals.”
Multiple Challenges
Some communities carry many burdens that make things harder. For some people, the experience of gender-based violence intersects with other layers of disadvantage or prejudice - making it harder to seek help, be believed, or access the right support.
First Nations People face disproportionate rates of family violence alongside systemic barriers including geographic isolation, cultural disconnection, and historical trauma.
Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Communities experience language barriers, visa concerns, cultural stigma, and lack of culturally safe services can all create significant obstacles to seeking help.
LGBTQIA+ People experience violence in unique ways, often compounded by fear of discrimination, lack of LGBTQIA+ affirming services and invisibility in mainstream responses.
People with Disability are at significantly higher risk of violence, abuse and neglect — with additional barriers including dependency on carers and limited access to appropriate support.
Recognising these intersecting challenges isn't about creating separate categories of survivors - it's about building responses that genuinely meet people where they are, and honouring the full complexity of their lives.
What's Required?
Response requires the whole picture. Ending gender-based violence is not a single intervention - it is a sustained, layered commitment that must operate across every point of a person's journey. No single organisation can do this alone. It requires government, the community sector, businesses, and individuals to share the responsibility - and the resolve.
01.
Education & Prevention
Changing the conditions that allow violence to occur in the first place - in schools, workplaces, and communities.
02.
Frontline Services
Immediate, trauma-informed support for those in crisis - crisis accommodation, counselling, legal advocacy.
03.
Recovery & Rebuilding
Financial independence, legal assistance, and long-term support to help survivors reclaim their lives on their own terms.
* Statistics sourced from [1] The Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey, [2] ANROWS 2023, [3] KPMG Australia Economic Analysis.