Domestic abuse may be a one-off incident or may be repeated many times, but it is usually understood as one person exercising power and control over another. The Home Office describe domestic abuse as ‘any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between adults who are or have been in a relationship together, or between family members, regardless of gender or sexuality.’ Up until recen
tly domestic abuse was associated more with female victims, however domestic abuse can occur in any relationship regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, economic or social status, or ability. We use the term domestic abuse, because we recognise that there are lots of different ways to exert power and control over someone, (i.e. intimidation, verbal abuse, isolation, threats, sexual abuse, financial control etc) not just physical violence. Everyone’s experience is individual and particular to them, so although reading the descriptions may help you recognise whether your relationship is abusive, what you’re experiencing may still be abusive even if it is written out here.
