What is domestic abuse
Domestic abuse happens across different types of relationships and is not limited to people who are or have been in an intimate personal relationship, or who live together. Domestic abuse may happen across household relationships, those with parental relationships, or between relatives. The definition is inclusive of ex-partners. Controlling behaviour is a range of acts which make a person subordinate or dependent, by isolating them from support, exploiting them for personal gain, depriving them of independence, resistance and escape, and regulating everyday behaviour. Coercive behaviour can be acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation, or other abuse used to harm, punish or frighten the victim. Honour based violence, forced marriage, and child to parent abuse are forms of domestic abuse. The definition of domestic abuse within the Domestic Abuse Act states that the person carrying out the abusive behaviour and the person directly receiving the abusive behaviour must be over 16. It also defines children who see, hear or otherwise experience the abuse as victims or survivors of the abuse.
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 statutory definition of domestic abuse is:
“Any single incident or a course of conduct of physical or sexual abuse, violence or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, psychological, emotional or other abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been personally connected to each other”
For the full legal definition of domestic abuse, see:
Part 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act
Statutory definition of domestic abuse factsheet
Since the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, children that have been exposed to domestic abuse are now recognised as victims of domestic abuse in their own right, rather than just witnesses.