New QLD Polling Data shows Young People aren’t Recognising DV and Coercive Control

October 28, 2020

Essential Research polling commissioned by White Ribbon Australia found that significant numbers of young Queenslanders, aged between 18-34, did not recognise behaviours that constitute domestic violence, including coercive control.

Almost 30% of young people did not recognise “hitting, punching or restraining” as a type of domestic violence.

Young people’s ability to recognise coercive control was even less:

  • 33% of young people did not recognise “frightening, humiliating, degrading or punishing a person” as domestic violence
  • 35% did not recognise “non-consensual sexual activity”, “displaying threatening behaviour” or “controlling money so a person is dependent on the other for finances” as domestic violence
  • 36% of young people did not recognise “making constant phone calls and sending text messages, or spying using electronic means” as domestic violence
  • 32% of young people did not recognise “isolating a person from friends, relatives or other sources of support” as domestic violence, while 34% did not recognise “depriving or restricting a person’s access to support services” as domestic violence
  • 43% of young people did not recognise “controlling access to drugs or medication” as domestic violence

These are all behaviours that constitute domestic violence and often co-occur in what is termed, coercive control.

This data and data from the latest NCAS which found that, “responses among young people to some questions indicate some areas of poor knowledge, relatively high endorsement of violence-supportive views and a low level of support for gender equality,” highlights the need for community education around coercive control.

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