The overall aim of the National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey (NCAS) project is to develop and extend the evidence and knowledge base required to foster community attitudes that support women to live free from exposure to violence, including threats of or fear of violence.

The 2009, 2013 and 2017 NCAS surveys draw heavily on a 2006 Victorian survey (funded by VicHealth) and all these surveys have elements in common with a 1995 violence against women survey conducted by the then Office for the Status of Women (OSW), which, in turn, drew on an earlier 1987 survey.

The intended outcomes from the survey program are to contribute to an improved understanding of:
- The methodology required to provide an ongoing survey platform for understanding community attitudes to violence against women in Australia.
- The magnitude and nature of change in community attitudes to violence against women between 1995, 2009, 2013 and 2017.
- Contemporary factors leading to the formation of community attitudes on violence against women, to inform future violence prevention efforts across sectors.
- Areas of community attitudes on violence against women requiring attention in future violence prevention efforts.
- Specific segments of the population to which future violence prevention should be targeted.