We define domestic violence/abuse as any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 years or over who are or have been in intimate relationships, regardless of gender, sex or sexuality: Abuse is not limited to intimate partners and can extend to family members and carers.

Domestic abuse can happen at any point in a relationship, including after a couple has split up. Domestic abuse cuts across all barriers. It can happen to anyone, regardless of age, background, sex, religion, sexuality or ethnicity. However, statistics show most domestic abuse is carried out by men and experienced by women.

Abuse can be:

• Psychological – including manipulating or “gaslighting” you in an attempt to make you think the abuse is your fault, and “coercive control”
• Financial – which involves controlling your access to money
• Sexual – this can include coercion
• Physical – not just hitting, but throwing things at you or doing other things that hurt you
• Using technology – tech might be used to track you or spy on you, or to send you abusive messages
• Spiritual and cultural – spiritual and cultural abuse is not limited to a certain religion, denomination or culture and involves using religion or cultural abuse to rationalise abusive behaviour.

Abuse can take many other forms including harassment and stalking.
Domestic abuse is never the fault of the person who is experiencing it.

Domestic abuse is a crime.