Download 4906.0.55.003 Personal Safety Survey, Australia: User Guide (2005)

A P P E N D I X 2 C O M P A R I S O N S B E T W E E N W S S A N D P S S continued
Number of perpetrato rs
In the WSS, this referred to the type of perpetrators, male and female, (as defined in
relationship to perpetrator) who were violent toward a person in the previous 12 month
period. In the PSS, the relevant question asks if there were 1, 2, 3 or more perpetrators
involved.
Parents country of birth
Not collected in the PSS.
Physical assault
In the WSS the category 'Other' included burns, scalds, being dragged by the hair. In PSS
the wording 'Any other type of physical assault' was included.
Physical attempt or threat
In the WSS, this item included verbal and/or physical intent to inflict physical harm which
the person believed was able and likely to be carried out. It excluded incidents which
occurred before the age of 15. Various types of physical attempt or threat were
identified. In the PSS separate questions were asked for attempt/threat and actual
assault.
Proficiency in English
New item in PSS. This is asked only of those respondents who spoke another language
other than English at home. It is the respondents perception of how well they speak
English.
Reasons services not used
In the WSS, people who did not use any crisis, legal or financial help recorded all the
reasons why they did not use them. In the PSS this was split into 4 questions aimed at
finding out why they didn't used each specific service, and the same categories were
asked about each type of service.
! Cultural/language reasons. In the WSS this included the inability to communicate
well enough in English to use services, and cultural and religious reasons, such as
not being able to talk to anyone other than their partner. In the PSS the category
was split into Cultural reasons and Language reasons
! Couldn't afford
! Couldn't get an appointment
! Couldn't get through/unable to contact service
! Did not want to ask for help
! Did not need or want service
Relationship to perpetrator
Friend/neighbour/acquaintance was a single category in WSS, that was split as follows in
the PSS:
! Friend
! Neighbour/acquaintance
Also the response 'Ex-boyfriend/ex-girlfriend,' and 'Prison officer' was added in the PSS.
Relationship to perpetrator of
New item in the PSS.
first incident of abuse
Reason for separatio n
In the WSS one of the response categories was worded 'Because of partner's abuse of, or
threats to, respondent or respondent's children.' In the PSS the wording was updated to
read 'Because of partner's abuse of or threats to respondent/children'.
The response 'Court order him away' was updated in the PSS to 'Court ordered partner
away'.
46
Services used
A new category of 'Any other support service including telephone help line' was added in
the PSS.
Stalking
In the PSS the definition of stalking was tightened and the survey now collects up to 5
incidents of stalking and asks a series of questions to determine the most recent incident
of stalking. Questions on the actions of stalking were amalgamated and now include
actions such as sending SMS messages or via the Internet.
ABS • PER SO N A L SAFET Y SUR V E Y : USER GUIDE • 490 6 . 0 . 5 5 . 0 0 3 • 200 5