The Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research will host a free research seminar which will assess the debates regarding men's and women's domestic violence experiences.

According to recent studies, about one in five people believe that domestic violence is committed by both men and women equally.

Domestic and family violence researcher and educator Dr Michael Flood** believes the public needs to understand the different circumstances in which men and women are experiencing violence.

He will discuss the growing debate in Australia over men's and women's domestic and family violence at a free research seminar "He Hits, She Hits' at CQUniversity Mackay on Friday, June 22.

Dr Michael Flood will present a research seminar at CQUniversity Mackay on June 22. The seminar will show how men are most at risk of violence from men they don't know while women are most at risk of violence from men they know.

"There is no doubt that both women and men can be victims of violence by a partner or ex-partner, and that both men and women can be perpetrators," Dr Flood said.

"At the same time, there are important contrasts in women's and men's experiences of violence, according to both Australian and international data."

Dr Flood said that when it comes to domestic and family violence, adult victims are far more likely to be female than male.

"Women are more likely than men to suffer frequent violence by partners or ex-partners, to be controlled in a range of ways, to sustain injuries, to fear for their lives, and to be sexually assaulted," he said.

"It's a colossal red herring to claim, as some men's groups do, that large numbers of men in Australia are suffering abuse at the hands of their wives and female partners.

"This distracts attention from the real needs of male victims of violence and undermines support for male and female victims alike."

Dr Flood will present his research findings and allow for questions and discussions on Friday, June 22 from 10am to 11am at CQUniversity Mackay, with the seminar to be broadcast to ten other sites in Queensland as well as Sydney and Melbourne.

Registration required by June 21. For more information visit http://www.noviolence.com.au/.  

** Dr Michael Flood, a researcher and educator at the University of Wollongong, has made a significant contribution to both scholarship on and community understanding of violence against women. He has published a wide variety of papers on violence against women, men's roles in prevention and a range of other topics. Dr Flood is also a trainer, community educator and activist having worked with sporting organisations, community services and governments.