Abstract
Primary prevention of violence against women depends on shifting attitudes and social norms that sustain gender inequality and excuse or minimise violence. The National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) administered by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) provides robust population-level tracking of Australians’ attitudes towards violence against women over time. NCAS data also provides an opportunity to explore pressing questions in prevention practice at the national or state level. This paper presents findings from research by Respect Victoria that used a commissioned representative sample of Victorians responding to the 2021 NCAS survey to formulate new research questions, interrogate the NCAS data using different methods, and inform the scope of future research. The use of secondary analysis for this research is aligned with the overarching principle of good practice data collection set out in ANROWS’ Australian National Research Agenda 2023–2028 to ‘collect once, use often’.
This paper applies complementary approaches to analysis to look at the NCAS data ‘under the surface’ of the multi-item NCAS scales, by deep diving into attitudes measured using a single question, such as agreement with the statement ‘It’s only really stalking if it’s by a stranger’.
First, item–scale correlations identify which survey items most strongly differentiate respondents with higher versus lower overall scale scores across attitudes towards violence against women, attitudes towards gender inequality, and understanding of violence against women. Second, item distributions (agreement, response tails, non-response and gender differences) identify beliefs that are more prevalent, contested or gender-patterned in Victoria.
Findings support broad rejection of most violence-supportive and gender-inequitable statements, alongside a smaller set of beliefs that remain especially diagnostic and, in some cases, relatively common and gender-patterned. Items relating to sexual violence myths and scepticism about credibility of people who have experienced violence were among the strongest markers of higher violence-supportive attitudes. For gender inequality, beliefs about men’s suitability for leadership and authority were the strongest item-level markers, while more commonly endorsed items reflected minimisation and dismissal of women’s experiences. Recognition of non-physical abuse was high overall, but uneven for specific forms such as economic abuse, technology-facilitated monitoring and identity-based coercion.
Together, these results show how item-level secondary analysis can complement NCAS monitoring by producing prevention-relevant insights that are specific enough to inform messaging, program refinement and interpretation of population trends. The paper discusses options for integrating findings into communications testing and informing new hypotheses for prevention practice and design.
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Respect Victoria acknowledges Aboriginal peoples throughout Victoria as the First Peoples and Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present. We proudly acknowledge Aboriginal communities throughout Victoria and their ongoing strength in practising the world’s oldest living cultures.
We acknowledge the significant and ongoing impacts of colonisation and commit to working alongside First Nations communities to effect change. We recognise the ongoing leadership role of these communities in addressing and preventing family violence and violence against women, and will continue to work in collaboration with First Peoples to eliminate these forms of violence from all communities.
Respect Victoria acknowledges the significant impact of family violence and violence against women on individuals, families and communities, and the strength, trauma and resilience of the children, young people and adults who have, and are still, experiencing this violence. We pay our respects to those whose lives were taken and to their family members and friends. We keep at the forefront in our minds all those who have experienced family violence or other forms of abuse, and for whom we undertake this work.
Respect Victoria acknowledges Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) as the owner of the 2021 National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) and data derived from the 2021 NCAS. The findings and views expressed in this report cannot be attributed to ANROWS.
Many thanks to Helen Bolton, Lauren Coutts, Natasha Darrigan, Hazel Donley, Laura Gillis, Katie Grant, Ally Hallam, Kim Powell, Jacquie O’Brien and Laura Vines at Respect Victoria for their support in developing and publishing these resources.
Thank you to Nicole Weeks, Belinda Parker and colleagues in the NCAS team at ANROWS for sharing their expert insights as part of design, analysis and review of these outputs, and to Andrew Ward at the Social Research Centre for his warm collaborative approach to design and implementation of the analysis used in these outputs.
- Authors:
- Dr Kylie Fisk
- Dr Stephanie Lusby
- Dr Shelly Makleff
- Analysis: Social Research Centre
- Copy-editing: Vanessa Winter
- Knowledge translation and design: 89 Degrees East
- Design: Elinor McDonald
Respect Victoria is the state’s dedicated organisation for the prevention of family violence and violence against women. Our vision is a Victorian community where all people are safe, equal and respected, and live free from family violence and violence against women. To achieve our vision, we lead and support evidence-informed primary prevention and act as a catalyst for transformational social change.
Companion brief
Understand what Respect Victoria’s High-Impact Attitudes research found and what the findings may mean for prevention, policy, communications, research and evaluation.
Suggested citation
Respect Victoria. High-impact attitudes: An item analysis of Victorians’ attitudes towards violence against women (Technical paper 01/2026). Melbourne: Respect Victoria; 2026.