New data on partner violence shows 20 mental health sessions are crucial
20 February 2024
A peak psychology body says the latest data on intimate partner violence and emotional abuse is concerning and shows that psychological support for impacted people needs to be returned to 20 sessions.
Director of the Australian Association of Psychologists, Carly Dober, said while the new figures showed rates of intimate partner violence against women had fallen from 2.3% in 2016 to 1.5% in 2021-22, the data continued to highlight the volume of people impacted who would need help.
Cohabiting partner emotional abuse decreased from 4.8% in 2016 to 3.9% in 2021-22. For men, the 12-month prevalence rate of cohabiting partner emotional abuse decreased from 4.2% in 2016 to 2.5% in 2021-22.
“While these declines might show that community education is working, we still need to focus on those who need significant mental health support due to the trauma and stress that comes with these kinds of experiences,” she said.
“The data showed that 23% of women and 7.3% of men have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner since the age of 15.
“People’s trust and safety in the world and their self-confidence are often shattered after gendered violence experiences, and they need support in building up their lives to be whole again.
“These issues are rarely resolved in 10 psychology sessions. Psychologists know that 20 sessions is far more appropriate and what the research tells us we need.”
Ms Dober said with costs and the cost of living crisis causing people to ration their care, it was time for the Federal Government to urgently reconsider the halving of Medicare subsidised psychology sessions.
The data also showed:
- 23% (2.3 million) of women and 14% (1.3 million) of men have experienced emotional abuse by a current or previous partner.
- 16% (1.6 million) of women and 7.8% (745,000) of men have experienced economic abuse from a current or previous partner.
ENDS
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