Startling facts

• At least 750,000 children a year witness domestic violence.

• On average a women is assaulted 35 times before they call the police.

• Forced Marriage is a crime.

• Domestic abuse has a higher rate of repeat victimisation than any other crime.

• 30% of domestic violence starts in pregnancy.

Information

What is domestic abuse?

We define domestic abuse as 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. It is very common. In the vast majority of cases it is experienced by women and is perpetrated by men. It is a gendered crime which is deeply rooted in the societal inequality between men and women.

Domestic abuse can include, but is not limited to, the following:

Physical abuse – including being hit, kicked or attacked

Psychological and/or Emotional abuse – being called names, put down, made to feel bad

Sexual abuse – having to be sexual when you don’t want to

Financial or Economic abuse – when someone takes or controls your money

Coercive Control – when a person repeatedly behaves in a way which makes you feel controlled, dependent, isolated or scared

Harassment and Stalking – persistent and unwanted attention that makes you feel pestered, scared, anxious or harassed

Online or Digital abuse – monitoring of social media profiles or emails, abuse over social media such as Facebook or Twitter, sharing intimate photos or videos without your consent, using GPS locators or spyware.