The Senate Committee examining domestic violence in Australia acknowledges that a coherent, strategic and long term effort by all levels of governments and the community is required to take effective action.

In 2013, the World Health Organisation found that more than one third of all women have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence and that these findings show it is a 'global public health problem of epidemic proportions requiring urgent action'. In Australia, women are over-represented in intimate partner homicides. 89 women were killed by their current or former partner between 2008-10 which equates to nearly one woman every week.

However, in 2015, the statistics to date shows that this number is increasing with two Australian women killed by domestic violence each week.

Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) notes that data from the 2012 Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey shows that one in three Australian women have experienced physical violence and Australian women are most likely to experience physical and sexual violence in their home at the hands of a male current or ex-partner.

The most commonly reported reason for seeking assistance from specialist homelessness services was domestic and family violence.

A study of Victorian women demonstrated that domestic violence carries an enormous cost in terms of premature death and disability. As VicHealth stated: 'It is responsible for more preventable ill-health in Victorian women under the age of 45 than any other of the well-known risk factors, including high blood pressure, obesity and smoking'.

In addition, more than one million children in Australia are affected by domestic violence which can leave them with serious emotional, psychological, social, behavioural and developmental consequences.