One in five Australians believe drunk women 'partly responsible' for rape: survey

Updated

One in five Australians believe a woman is "partly responsible" for being raped if she is intoxicated, a national survey conducted by VicHealth has found.

The poll of 17,500 people also found one in six people support the notion that when women say no to sex, they mean yes.

VicHealth chief executive Jerril Rechter said the results were "shocking" and showed there was still a lot of work to do when it came to changing people's attitudes.

Violence is a choice. It's not an instinct. It is never acceptable and no woman ever invites it or deserves it. Jerril Rechter, VicHealth chief executive

"These are terrible statistics and whilst we're making headway in some areas, we are seriously concerned that many people have attitudes that lead to the potential for violence against women," she said.

The survey found that most people believe violence is caused by men being unable to control their anger and their need for sex.

"What we do know is that violence is a choice. It's not an instinct," she said.

"It is never acceptable and no woman ever invites it or deserves it."

Ms Rechter said the findings also revealed the extent of the work that needed to be done to wipe out the "common and preventable" problem of violence against women.

"What we're seeing is that Australian attitudes towards violence against women are pretty much staying the same," she said.

Ms Rechter said headway was being made in some areas.

For instance people now understand violence includes emotional and social abuse.

She said people needed to understand that making a sexist joke at work or at a sports club was "inexcusable and unacceptable in Australia today".

"Whilst it might be difficult to understand that a sexist comment or joke can led to violence against women, what it does do is it lays the groundwork for people's attitudes to women to be poor and this is the behaviour that needs to change," she said.

Her views are echoed by survivors of sexual assault and family violence.

Survivors speak out

Jane Walczak, who was raped nine years ago, said she was disappointed that 20 per cent of Australians still believe women are partly responsible if they are drunk.

"It's devastating to think people believe that and when you hold that shame and embarrassment when something like this happens to you, to then see that people do actually believe that, it's very worrying to see and upsetting," Ms Walczak said.

"There is no blame on us survivors, all the blame needs to go to the perpetrators.

"There really is no excuse for any of this behaviour."

I could see no way out and I thought, this is my life - you feel ashamed, alone and paralysed by fear and serious threats Kristy McKellar, domestic abuse survivor

Kristy McKellar endured four years of violence at the hands of her then-husband.

She said she was disappointed that more than half the respondents thought a woman could leave a violent relationship if they really wanted to.

"'Why didn't they just leave': This is one of the most painful questions you could ever pose to a victim," she said.

"It's just a trauma-filled space so you basically can't access logical thoughts of how you would leave that situation.

"I could see no way out and I thought, this is my life - you feel ashamed, alone and paralysed by fear and serious threats."

She said she felt fortunate not to be "that one woman who is killed every week by their current or former partner".

"Knowing the devastating impacts of family violence, it is disappointing that violence against women is still being accepted justified, overlooked or excused," Ms McKellar said.

Male culture needs to change: Lay

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay said he was heartened by an increase in political will to combat violence against women.

"For the first time ever, we're approaching the state election and both sides are talking about family violence reform," he said.

"But all the reform in the world will have little impact without a fundamental change in male culture.

"So let me be clear: For those men who think, 'I'd never hit a woman, this isn't my problem', I say to you: It is your problem. It is our problem. It is the community's problem."

The Chief Commissioner said education was important to help the community understand that demeaning and sexist behaviour had a direct link to gender-based violence.

"It's that all-consuming sense of entitlement and disrespect ... controlling and demeaning attitudes by some men," Mr Lay said.

"The most disappointing part is that when you look back at the survey back in 1996, some of the attitudes are not moving as fast as you'd like.

"I sense there's a greater understanding of family violence, what causes family violence, but there's still a lot of challenges with men in particular about their attitudes."

He said he found it "offensive" that a fifth of respondents thought a woman was partly to blame for rape if she was intoxicated.

"It's about an ability for men, young and older, to stand up and say something when you hear sexist jokes and follow with a courageous conversation."

Ms Rechter said Australian attitudes towards violence against women were "pretty much staying the same".

But some progress is being made. For instance, Ms Rechter said people now understand that violence includes emotional and social abuse.

She said people needed to understand that making a sexist joke at work or at a sports club was "inexcusable and unacceptable in Australia today".

"Whilst it might be difficult to understand that a sexist comment or joke can led to violence against women, what it does do is it lays the groundwork for people's attitudes to women to be poor, and this is the behaviour that needs to change," she said.

Topics: community-and-society, sexual-offences, domestic-violence, australia, melbourne-3000

First posted