What is Family and Domestic Violence?
An explanation of what family and domestic violence is and the various forms it can take
Family and domestic violence is a crime. It is behaviour that results in physical, sexual and/or psychological damage, forced isolation, economic deprivation, or causes the victim(s) to live in fear. It can be experienced by people of all classes, religions, ethnicity, ages, abilities and sexual preference.
Examples of criminal offences in family and domestic violence situations include physical, emotional, psychological and sexual assault. Family and domestic violence also includes actions like making threats to a person’s safety, stalking, damaging or stealing property, harming a person’s pet, breaching restraining orders and it extends to dominating, controlling, isolating and restricting the freedom of another person.
Types of abuse
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is any behaviour that is intended to cause harm including pushing, slapping, punching, choking, and kicking.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is any forced sexual contact and activity. “Forced” in this context refers to individuals who are physically coerced to participate or who are not in a position to say no as a result of fear, threats, or intimidation.
Verbal Abuse
Verbal abuse is any act which threats, insults, or denounces another person. Verbal abuse can be seen in the forms of shouting, belittling, swearing, and name calling.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse (also known as psychological abuse) is any act which undermines another person’s feelings. Emotional abuse can be in the form of mind games, manipulation, humiliation, and making the person feel worthless.
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse is any act that controls the money and decisions around its use. Financial abuse can be in the forms of taking, limiting/rationing, and stealing money. It can also be in the form of putting another person in debt and in financial stress.
Signs of Family and Domestic Violence
Family and domestic violence is characterised by the pattern of actions that an individual use to intentionally control or dominate another person. For example, a perpetrator may systematically use threats, intimidation, and coercion to instill fear into their partner.
Being aware of such patterns of behaviour and actions may assist in better identifying the signs of family and domestic violence. If any of the following are happening in your community, then the affected person(s) may be a victim of family and domestic violence.
Hearing threats or intimidation
Hurting pets and animals
Social isolation
Stalking
Damage to property
The Department of Communities, Child Protection and Family Support have made available an extensive list of signs and indicators of family and domestic violence. This fact sheet can be found here.
References
