What domestic abuse is
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How to tell if you're experiencing domestic abuse
Domestic abuse isn’t just violence. It can be physical, sexual, emotional or financial which takes place within an intimate or family relationship. It can be from someone you live with such as your child, a carer or another relative or a current or past partner.
Abuse can include neglect, controlling behaviour, forced marriage, honour based violence or female genital mutilation.
It can happen to anyone - older people, younger people, those in same-sex relationships and child to parent.
If you're in fear of a partner, ex-partner or member of your family, you may be experiencing domestic abuse if they:
- call you names and make you feel bad about yourself
- make you afraid by threatening you or your children
- behave violently towards you
- force you to have intimate physical contact
- harm you or make you feel you could be seriously harmed
- are stalking or blackmailing you
- stop you seeing your friends or family
- withhold money from you
- control how you spend your money
- don’t allow you to get a job
Controlling behaviour is a criminal offence
Often abuse is about control. Controlling and coercive behaviour is a criminal offence, which could lead to the abuser going to prison.
Controlling behaviour includes:
- isolating you from others
- financial abuse
- making you feel worthless
- controlling who you see and what you wear
- monitoring your time
Get support for domestic abuse.
Page last updated: 18 May 2023
