Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is the actual or threatened physical, sexual, psychological, financial or emotional abuse of a person by someone with whom they have, or have had, an intimate, family or emotional relationship. Domestic violence is rarely a one-off event and it tends to escalate in frequency and severity over time and is often used to maintain power and control over another person.

Domestic violence can affect anyone but it is generally acknowledged that it is predominantly women who experience domestic violence and almost always at the hands of their male partners or former partners.

Victims come from all walks of life. Social class, family income, level of education, occupation, gender and sexuality, ethnic and racial background makes no difference.

Domestic Violence can take many forms of physical, mental, emotional and sexual abuse and may include:

• Being beaten: punching, slapping, pulling hair, choking, kicking.
• Being attacked with weapons
• Being locked in or out
• Being denied access to money; or being forbidden to have a job, having to account for everything you spend.
• Being prevented from seeing family and friends
• Being threatened with physical and/or sexual abuse
• Threats to children
• Rape or degrading treatment
• Harassment; being watched, followed, pestered, unwanted mail or phone calls etc.
• Being told that you are a bad person, or that you are worthless, constantly being blamed for things
• Being put down in front of people, constantly being criticised.
  All of these could be accompanied by other kinds of intimidation such as mental and verbal abuse, humiliation and deprivation.