About domestic abuse
If you are in immediate danger then call the Police on 999.
Domestic abuse is any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse:
- psychological
- physical
- sexual
- financial
- emotional
Controlling behaviour is a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.
Coercive behaviour is an act or pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish or frighten their victim.
Domestic abuse does not only happen between male and female partners, it can happen to anyone in an intimate or family type relationship.
If you are in fear of a partner, ex-partner or member of your family, you might be experiencing domestic abuse. Do they often:
- call you names and make you feel bad about yourself?
- make you afraid by threatening you or your children?
- behave violently towards you – physically and sexually
- block your phone calls, keeping you away from friends or family?
- keep you without money?
- making threats to harm you?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you might be experiencing domestic abuse. This list is not exhaustive and there are lots of forms of domestic abuse.
