Women’s Aid defines domestic abuse as an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence. In most cases by a partner or ex-partner, but can also by a family member or carer. It is very common and can be experienced by men and women in any type of intimate relationship.
Domestic abuse can include, but is not limited to, the following:
- Coercive control (a pattern of intimidation, isolation and control with the use or threat of physical or sexual violence)
- Psychological and/or emotional abuse
- Physical or sexual abuse.
- Financial or economic abuse.
- Harassment and stalking.
- Online or digital abuse.
