*The UK government’s definition of domestic abuse
“any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, 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. The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional”
Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexuality or background.
Whatever your situation, our team will listen and work with you to provide support, information, and advice. We can support you out of an abusive environment, we will always put your wishes and safety first.
We understand the causes and effects of domestic abuse and the impact it can have on peoples’ lives.
Get Help
You can contact us at any of our sites 9.30am – 4.30pm Monday – Friday with out of hours support available through the
Live Fear Free helpline
0808 8010 800
If you are at immediate risk, please ring 999.
Types of Abuse
Domestic abuse in a relationship:
There are different kinds of abuse that can happen in different situations. The most common type of domestic abuse occurs in relationships. But the definition of domestic abuse also covers abuse between family members, such as adolescent to parent violence and abuse.
Emotional Abuse
Does anyone you are in a relationship with, or used to be in a relationship with:
- belittle you, or put you down?
- blame you for the abuse or arguments?
- deny that abuse is happening, or play it down?
- isolate you from your family and friends?
- stop you going to college or work?
- make unreasonable demands for your attention?
- accuse you of flirting or having affairs?
- tell you what to wear, who to see, where to go, and what to think?
- control your money, or not give you enough to buy food or other essential things?
Two women
every week
are
KILLED
by a current or former
partner
in England and Wales alone
-Office for national statistics (2019) Homicide in England and Wales: year ending March 2018 (average taken over 10 years).
Two women
every week
are
KILLED
by a current or former
partner
in England and Wales alone
-Office for national statistics (2019) Homicide in England and Wales: year ending March 2018 (average taken over 10 years).
Economic/Financial Abuse
Economic abuse involves behaviours that interfere with your ability to acquire, use and maintain economic resources such as money, transportation and utilities. It can be controlling or coercive. It can make you economically dependent on the abuser, limiting your ability to escape or access safety.
Examples of economic abuse include:
- having sole control of the family income
- preventing a victim from claiming welfare benefits
- interfering with a victim’s education, training, or employment
- not allowing or controlling a victim’s access to mobile phone/transport/utilities/food
- damage to a victim’s property
Threats and Intimidation
Does someone you have a relationship with, or used to have a relationship with ever:
- threaten to hurt or kill you?
- destroy things that belong to you?
- threaten to kill themselves or the children?
- harass or follow you?
- Share, or threaten to share intimate pictures of you or ‘revenge porn’?
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, age, sexuality or background:
Does someone ever:
- touch you in a way you don’t want to be touched?
- make unwanted sexual demands?
- hurt you during sex?
- pressure you to have unsafe sex – for example, not using a condom?
- pressure you to have sex?
- If your partner, or former partner, or anyone has sex with you when you don’t want to, or have not consented to, this is rape.
- Have you ever felt afraid of someone you’re in a relationship with, a partner or former partner?
- Have you ever changed your behavior, the way you dress or where you go because you’re afraid of what your partner, or former partner, might do?
It is a criminal offence in England and Wales for someone to subject you to coercive control. If you experience this kind of abuse you can report it to the police.
Coercive Controlling Behaviour
Controlling behaviour is making a person subordinate and/or dependent by:
- isolating them from friends, family and support networks
- exploiting them for money or resources, stop them from getting money or resources
- depriving them of the means for independence, resistance and escape and
- regulating their everyday behaviour.
Coercive behaviour is a continuing act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.
Controlling or coercive behaviour does not only happen in the home, victims can be monitored by phone or social media from a distance, or by other people (third parties) and can be made to fear violence on at least two occasions or adapt their everyday behaviour as a result of serious alarm or distress.
Get Help
You can contact us at any of our sites 9.30am – 4.30pm Monday – Friday with out of hours support available through the
Live Fear Free helpline
0808 8010 800
If you are at immediate risk, please ring 999.