A Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher says the Australian public is still clinging to damaging stereotypes in regards to the victims of domestic violence, despite public campaigns such as the Federal Government’s Violence Against Women Australia Says No. Trea Sanson-Fisher will be awarded her doctorate about public perceptions of domestic violence at CSU’s Bathurst graduation on Friday 11 May. She says although her community interviewees was more likely than the judicial system to recommend jailing the perpetrator, the interviewees thought the victim was partly responsible for the domestic violence if she had been drinking. Ms Sanson-Fisher added, “However, when the violence was severe and required a trip to hospital, the sample would ‘let go’ of a lot of stereotypes. It seems society is getting the message about severe domestic violence, but not quite getting the message about a slap or a push.”