As much as I dislike putting up yet another image of Pauline, her comments this week about domestic violence must be further analysed and debunked. This article provides facts and figures which better inform us and help us when we come up against people with Pauline-type of opinions.

For example:

Let’s be clear on this. All violence is wrong, and we should take multiple courses of action to address violence in all its forms.

At the same time, while both men and women are similarly likely to experience any violence in their lifetime, the patterns of these experiences differ hugely.

According to our national Personal Safety Survey, one in four women have experienced violence by an intimate partner or family member since the age of 15, compared with one in eight men.

One in five women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15, compared with one in 16 men.

And one in five women have experienced stalking since the age of 15, compared with one in 15 men.

The overwhelming majority of this violence is perpetrated by men. We cannot ignore the gendered patterns.

If you are in a dv situation, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. If you’re in immediate danger, call 000. For support for men concerned about their own behaviour or experiences of violence, call Men’s Line on 1300 78 99 78.