(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
Is the perpetrator fully to blame when a woman's raped?
Is she partly responsible if she's been drinking? Or taken drugs?
Well, a nationwide survey has found an alarming number of Australians continue to believe rape and violence against women can be excused.
Phillippa Carisbrooke reports.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
Kristy McKellar was a victim of repeated abuse.
Her tormentor was her ex husband.
"I was a victim of unspeakable cruelty. I was fortunate not to be that one woman who is killed every week by their current or former partner."
A survey of more than 17,000 Australians looking at violence against women has found many continue to apportion blame to the victim.
One in five agreed that a woman is partly responsible for rape if she's intoxicated.
Nearly two thirds said violence is caused by men being unable to control their anger.
And more than 40 per cent believed men rape because they can't control their need for sex.
The report's co-author, Doctor Michael Flood, says it's "depressing" that people are still blaming intoxication, sex drive and anger for violence.
"We blame the victim. We see women as liars. We really do. We don't trust them. We see men as lust driven pigs that can't be held accountable for their sexual behaviour."
Attitudes haven't changed much since VicHealth conducted its first survey almost 20 years ago.
But Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on women's affairs, Michaelia Cash, believes a turning point has been reached.
"I truly do believe that we have created a tsunami of awareness and a tsunami of support. And we need to keep that momentum going."
The chief Executive of VicHealth, Jerril Rechter, says most people now understand that domestic violence is illegal.
But she warns behaviour change will take time.
"Attitude and behaviour change takes decades and that's the reality. If you look at the attitudes and behaviours around not wearing seat belts or smoking in pubs - once it was acceptable to do both and now it's not."
The Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Ken Lay, says the whole community - young, old, male, female - needs to stand up against violence targeting women.
"As men we have to start having hard conversations with our mates, our sons, our colleagues and our team mates. We need to change the language, the attitude and the misogynistic behaviour that lies at the heart of male violence against women."
A final word from Kristy McKellar.
"Violence is a choice and it is never acceptable. No matter what walk of life you are from, these facts are universally correct."
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