Key Points
- Data shows 26 per cent of men admit to committing an act of sexual violence in adulthood.
- One in six people have admitted to perpetrating sexual coercion or harassment.
- One in five adult women have been the victim of a sexual assault since their 15th birthday.
This article contains references to sexual assault.
More than one in five Australians have perpetrated some form of sexual violence in adulthood, a study based on self-reported data from more than 5,000 people has found.
The term sexual violence was used to describe a variety of actions in the Australian Institute of Criminology report, with one in 14 admitting to perpetrating the behaviour in the past year and 22 per cent at any point since turning 18.
The most common form was pressuring someone for dates or sexual activity, followed by emotionally or psychologically manipulating someone to participate in sexual activity, non-consensual kissing and non-consensual touching.
One in six admitted to perpetrating sexual harassment or coercion in adulthood and 11 per cent admitted to sexual assault.
Some 2.7 per cent admitted to perpetrating sexual intercourse without consent from the victim and a similar number admitted to stealthing, which involves removing protection during sex without a partner's consent.
Australian Institute of Criminology deputy director Rick Brown said perpetrators involved with the criminal justice system were only a small portion of those who actually committed sexual violence.
"The vast majority of offences and perpetrators are never reported to police, and attrition rates are high among cases of sexual violence that do come to the attention of police, meaning few actually progress to prosecution and conviction," Brown said.
He said it was important to understand what motivated perpetrators in order to focus prevention efforts on them, rather than victims.
The study results were based on a survey of 5,067 Australians aged 18 to 45 in May and June 2023, conducted by Roy Morgan Research.
Questions were phrased using "non-stigmatising" language as terms such as rape and sexual assault had been linked to lower response rates, the report said.
Men far more likely to commit sexual violence and assaults are on the rise
Among the participants, 50 per cent were women, 49 per cent were men and 1 per cent identified as gender diverse.
The broader purpose of the survey was to understand the connection between pornography and sexual violence in people who grew up with easy access to the internet.
The report stated men were "significantly more likely" than women to commit sexual violence, citing evidence that sexual violence was "one of the most gendered forms of violence, committed overwhelmingly by men against women".
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in five adult women and one in 15 adult men have been a victim of sexual violence since their 15th birthday.
In June, Bureau figures showed the number of sexual assaults recorded by police rose by 11 per cent in 2023 to the highest on record.
Family and domestic violence-related sexual assaults made up almost two in five of all sexual assaults reported to police.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
