What is Domestic Abuse?

Domestic Violence includes:

• physical and sexual violence
• living in fear of further violence
• threats of further violence or harming the children
• breaking objects, hurting pets, abusive language
• isolating an individual from family and friends
• controlling access to money, being prevented from going to work.

Domestic violence is any violence or abuse that occurs between current and/or former partners in an intimate relationship, wherever the violence occurs regardless of sexuality, religion, wealth, age, geography or disability. The abuse may include physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse.

Domestic violence also affects children living in the survivor's house and there are strong links between domestic violence and all forms of child abuse.  For more information, please click on the link for the Local Safeguarding Children Board on the 'Agency Links' page.