What is Domestic Abuse?

Abuse can take different forms, many associate domestic violence with solely physical acts such as punching, hitting and kicking.

However, domestic abuse can be sexual, emotional/psychological, financial e.g. withholding money and/or isolation e.g. preventing you from working/studying or seeing family and friends.

The government has defined domestic violence and abuse as:

"..any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality.
This includes issues of concern to black and minority ethnic (BME) communities such as so called 'honour based violence', female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage.

The women who have survived domestic violence and helped to make this website felt the best way to demonstrate the different forms of domestic violence is the Duluth Power and Control Wheel.