One in Three Campaign
One in three victims of family violence are male

Correcting misinformation

Correcting misinformation about family violence

Research and statistics about family violence and abuse can be complex and difficult to interpret due to the wide variation in research methodologies employed, and the different definitions of violence and abuse used by researchers and academics.

Regrettably, while well-intentioned, many past efforts to reduce family violence against women have inadvertently used incorrect or misleading statistics‚ which unfairly stigmatise men and boys as violent and abusive, while simultaneously denying or downplaying the existence of male victims of violence.

All victims of violence and abuse, whether male or female, deserve policies based upon up-to-date accurate data. Flawed data can only lead to flawed policies and actions, and many children continue to be exposed to violence because of these misinterpretations.

Understandably many people, including the media, politicians and other decision-makers, simply quote the facts and figures that are given to them. This leads to misunderstandings and biases being reproduced and legitimised on a regular basis. The One in Three Campaign aims to address the widespread misinformation about family violence and abuse by providing accurate data to the public about this important issue.

By attacking misleading statistics about violence against women, isn't the One in Three Campaign attacking women? How does exposing flawed data about violence against women support male victims of family violence?

We believe the public deserves to be told the truth about family violence and abuse. For decades well-meaning governments and NGO's have presented the myth to the public that family violence is only something that men do to women. This message has prevented the development of more comprehensive policies, programs, services, campaigns and funding to cater for male as well as female victims of family violence and abuse.

By exposing the statistical flaws which maintain these myths about violence against women, we are hoping to expose the truth, and by doing so, change the public perception of domestic and family violence. It is our hope that governments (state and federal) will expand their response to domestic violence to include all victims and perpetrators regardless of their gender, and in doing so, comply with our international human rights obligations.

We are concerned that policies and programs that only target men's violence against women might inadvertently give some female perpetrators the feeling that they have impunity and an entitlement to act inappropriately. In addition, they discriminate against children whose mothers use violence by denying them protection.

We recognise there will be some people who will be offended by our challenge to the incorrect data. However, every attempt has been made to ensure our research into the statistics is verifiable, rigorous and without prejudice. If any errors are found, please let us know and we will correct them immediately.

The One in Three Campaign is fully supportive of all genuine programs designed to protect women and children from violence. We are simply seeking similar protection for men and boys and asking that the vast majority who are not violent are no longer tarred with the brush of “violent males”.

 

PM misquotes bad research stigmatising boys and young men

During the announcement last week of the $100M Women’s Safety Package, our new PM made the following claim:

There's been research done which Michaelia Cash can talk about further, which shows that, for example, one in four young men think it's OK to slap a girlfriend when you've been drinking.

The actual research put forward the following scenario and asked young people aged 14 to 24 whether they thought it was a serious issue:

A guy is as gentle as a lamb, it is just every now and again when he gets drunk he and his girlfriend fight and sometimes he slaps her lightly.

76% of young people (both boys and girls) said they thought this was a serious issue (88% of their parents did too).

The problems with the PM’s claim are as follows:

  • It was one in four young people (not just young men) who thought this (a gender breakdown wasn’t provided)

  • The research used the phrase "slaps her lightly", not "slaps", and in the context of a "fight" (in which it is possible that his girlfriend also slapped him)

  • It is quite conceivable that many young people (especially those in the younger age groups who probably "fight" with their siblings from time to time) thought that slapping someone lightly wasn’t serious whereas slapping hard or hitting would be serious

  • Just because they didn’t indicate that they thought it was serious, doesn’t mean they thought it was “OK”.

The research was appallingly designed, using leading questions to get the result the researchers wanted. Add to that the usual misquoting by the powers that be and, voilà!, we have "evidence" that without re-education, little boys are destined to become perpetrators of domestic violence.

We need to have zero tolerance for all violence and abuse, no matter how "slight". Stigmatising boys and young men by misquoting bad research doesn't help to reduce violence.

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