Domestic abuse is an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence, in the majority of cases by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer. This can include forced marriage, so-called “honour-based” violence, Female Genital Mutilation, and ritual abuse. You may wish to access support for current domestic abuse, or you may now be free of the abuse and looking for support to help you heal and move on from your experiences.
The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to:
- Coercive control
- Psychological and/or emotional abuse
- Physical or sexual abuse.
- Financial or economic abuse.
- Harassment and stalking.
- Online or digital abuse.
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 a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, frighten, isolate or create dependence.
There are links and overlap between domestic violence and the continuum of sexual violence.
Further reading and resource can be located on the Refuge webpages.