Domestic abuse can take many different forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological/emotional abuse and financial abuse.

Physical abuse describes many different types of physical violence, assault and harm.

Physical abuse includes:

• Hitting
• Punching
• Kicking
• Scratching
• Slapping
• Biting
• Scalding
• Pulling hair
• Poking
• Pinching
• Pushing
• Shoving
• Burning
• Setting on fire
• Binding arms or legs
• Tripping over
• Choking
• Beating
• Cutting
• Imprisonment
• Starvation
• Forced feeding
• Using weapons
• Deliberate dehydration
• Twisting arms
• Sleep deprivation
• Stabbing
• Shooting
• Drowning
• Torture
• Attempted murder
• Murder
• Bruising
• Scalding
• Starving

Domestic abuse may increase when a person experiencing abuse tries to end the relationship, on separation, divorce, during pregnancy and/or following the birth of a child. Domestic abuse has a harmful, sometimes even life threatening, impact on the mental wellbeing of those affected.