NEED TO KNOW
- In the first wave study (2013–14), about 1 in 4 men admitted to IPV (intimate partner violence). By 2022, that rate had climbed to 35%.
- Emotional or psychological abuse emerged as the most common form: 32% of respondents said they had “made a partner feel frightened or anxious” at some point.
- 9% said they had physically hurt a partner — hitting, slapping, kicking, or similar — at least once when angry.
- Every year, an estimated 120,000 men begin using IPV for the first time.
A shocking new study from the Australian Institute of Family Studies has revealed that more than one in three Australian men — about 35 per cent of men aged 18 to 65 — say they have used violence against an intimate partner at some point in their lives, a figure that experts say could reshape how we understand and address domestic abuse in this country.
The landmark research, part of the long-running Ten to Men study which has tracked more than 16,000 boys and men since 2013–14, shows that the proportion reporting intimate partner violence has risen significantly over time, from around one in four in the first wave to more than one in three in 2022.
The most common form of abuse reported is emotional or psychological — almost a third of men said they had made a partner feel frightened or anxious — while nearly one in ten admitted to physically hurting a partner, whether by hitting, slapping or kicking, when angry. Even more alarming is the estimate that roughly 120,000 men in Australia begin using these behaviours for the first time each year.
The research also highlights certain protective and risk factors. Men who reported strong social support “all of the time” were 26 per cent less likely to report using intimate partner violence, while those who recalled a warm, affectionate relationship with their father or father figure in childhood were 48 per cent less likely to do so. Conversely, men who experienced moderate to severe depressive symptoms were 62 per cent more likely to report having committed violence by 2022.
Advocates and policymakers are responding to the findings with urgency. Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin said the data offers “valuable insights” into where prevention efforts should be focused, emphasising the need to understand not just who is using violence, but how to stop it before it begins.
“It gives us some really good insights into where we should be looking to support men and boys who are struggling,” she said.
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek echoed that sentiment during an interview back in June, calling for greater investment in mental health supports, meaningful community connection programs and early intervention to build healthier relationships.
While the numbers are confronting, the study is being framed not just as a warning but as a crucial call to action. Violence in intimate relationships is not inevitable, and the factors that drive it can — and must — be addressed.
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