Key findings for states and territories
Understanding and rejection of gendered violence and inequality over time, each jurisdiction and Australia
Attitudes matter: The 2021 National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS), Findings for Australian states and territories shows that we’re slowly improving in our understanding and attitudes towards violence against women. Both as a country and within each state and territory, we have a better understanding of violence against women and stronger rejection of gendered violence and inequality.
This map (right) shows the mean score on the Gendered Violence and Inequality Scale (GVIS) in 2013, 2017 and 2021 for each juridiction and Australia.
The Gendered Violence and Inequality Scale (GVIS) is an overarching scale in the NCAS used to measure progress regarding understanding of violence and rejection of gendered violence and inequality.
For more information, see the
NCAS 21 Quick Guide.
The following are highlights from each state and territory’s results, showing areas where each jurisdiction improved in the 2021 NCAS.
Australian Capital Territory
People in the ACT are more likely to reject violence against women and support gender equality compared to Australia as a whole.
The ACT had larger proportions of respondents scoring higher in terms of rejection of gender inequality, violence against women, domestic violence and sexual violence.
Women’s reports of violence are more likely to be trusted in the ACT than in Australia as a whole.
Scores in the ACT relating to trusting women indicate that people in the ACT may be more likely to take claims of violence seriously, or less inclined to think women are “lying” if they delay reporting violence.
New South Wales
Understanding of violence against women and rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment has improved in NSW.
Like Australia as a whole, people in NSW have improved in their understanding of violence against women and their rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment since 2017.
People’s understanding and attitudes towards violence against women in NSW are on par with Australia’s.
There was very little difference between NSW and Australia in their understanding and rejection of violence against women and technology-facilitated abuse, and in their rejection of gender inequality, domestic violence and sexual violence.
Northern Territory
The NT showed improvement in rejection of violence against women in the last four years, whereas Australia’s progress stalled.
The NT showed significant improvement in rejection of violence against women, but not rejection of gender inequality, in the last four years. Australia’s progress was the opposite, with significant improvement on rejection of gender inequality but not violence against women.
70% of people in the NT recognise that the problem of violence against women in Australia extends to their own communities.
While
PSS data shows that the prevalence of violence against women ranges from 37% to 46% across all states and territories, NT respondents were significantly more likely to recognise that violence against women is a problem in their own suburb or town, than respondents in Australia as a whole (47%).
Queensland
Understanding of violence against women and rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment has improved in Queensland.
Like Australia as a whole, people in Queensland have improved in their understanding of violence against women and their rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment since 2017.
People’s understanding and attitudes towards violence against women in Queensland are on par with Australia’s.

There was very little difference between Queensland and Australia in their understanding and rejection of violence against women and technology-facilitated abuse, and in their rejection of gender inequality, domestic violence and sexual violence.
South Australia
South Australia’s attitudes towards women in leadership continued to improve over the last four years, whereas Australia’s progress stalled,
People in South Australia improved in their rejection of all aspects of gender inequality, including rejection of attitudes that undermine women’s leadership and decision-making in the workplace and in public life, which plateaued in Australia as a whole.
Understanding and rejection of violence against women and rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment has improved in South Australia.
Like Australia as a whole, people in South Australia have improved in their understanding of violence against women and their rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment since 2017. Rejection of violence against women also increased significantly from 2017 to 2021 in South Australia, despite stalling in Australia as a whole.
Tasmania
Tasmania’s attitudes towards women in leadership continued to improve over the last four years, whereas Australia’s progress stalled.
People in Tasmania improved in their rejection of all aspects of gender inequality, including rejection of attitudes that undermine women’s leadership and decision-making in the workplace and in public life, which plateaued in Australia as a whole.
Understanding and rejection of violence against women and rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment has improved in Tasmania.
Like Australia as a whole, people in Tasmania have improved in their understanding of violence against women and their rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment since 2017. Rejection of violence against women also increased significantly from 2017 to 2021 in Tasmania, despite stalling in Australia as a whole.
Victoria
Understanding of violence against women and rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment has improved in Victoria.
Like Australia as a whole, people in Victoria have improved in their understanding of violence against women and their rejection of gender inequality, sexual assault and sexual harassment since 2017.
People’s understanding and attitudes towards violence against women in Victoria is on par with Australia’s.
There was very little difference between Victoria and Australia in their understanding and rejection of violence against women and technology-facilitated abuse, and in their rejection of gender inequality, domestic violence and sexual violence.
Western Australia
Western Australia’s attitudes towards women in leadership continued to improve over the last four years, whereas Australia’s progress stalled.
People in Western Australia improved on rejection of all aspects of gender inequality, including rejection of attitudes that undermine women’s leadership and decision-making in the workplace and in public life, which plateaued in Australia as a whole.
People’s understanding and attitudes have continued to improve over the last four years in Western Australia when it comes to rejecting violence against women.
Western Australia’s rejection of violence against women increased significantly from 2017 to 2021, despite Australia showing no improvement in this area.
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