Gender and data issues paper released by Australian Clearinghouse

The Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse have released a new issues paper on gender and data in domestic violence.

The paper, The Gender Debate in Domestic Violence: The Role of Data, contributes to the ongoing discussion on the role of gender in intimate partner violence. The differences between between feminist and family conflict researchers are highlighted by examining the two most contentious issues, definitions of domestic violence and methods of data collection.

The paper states these methodological differences mean research findings "conflict in relation to perpetrator motivation for violence, forms and levels of abuse, severity of abuse, repetition of violence and impacts on victims". 

The paper advocates for accurate research findings and encourages researchers and practitioners to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their chosen method. The authors write,

"Certainly, all violence in intimate relationships is unacceptable. We do not suggest that violence perpetrated by one gender be condoned while the other is reviled. Rather, as Flood (2012) has argued, we consider that an accurate analysis of domestic violence – its pattern, risk factors and its social and structural causes – is essential to develop effective prevention and responses. If men’s and women’s perpetration and experience of violence are distinct, then targeted responses are required to address their different needs and experiences."

The paper presents 'real-life' experiences that illustrate the gender asymmetry of domestic violence.