Domestic violence and abuse is physical, psychological, sexual or financial violence/abuse that takes place in a family type relationship and forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour.

Anyone can experience domestic violence and abuse.

In the UK :-

Not all people regard domestic abuse, even if serious, as a crime and, therefore, may not report it (or wish to admit it). The Home Office estimates victims are likely to significantly under-estimate the actual extent of domestic violence against them.

This list can help you to recognise if you, or someone you know, is in an abusive relationship:

Destructive criticism and verbal abuse: shouting; mocking; accusing; name calling; verbally threatening.

Pressure tactics: sulking; threatening to withhold money; disconnection of the telephone; taking the car away; threatening to commit suicide; threatening to take the children away; threatening to report you to welfare agencies unless you comply with demands regarding bringing up the children; lying to your friends and family about you; telling you that you have no choice in any decisions.

Disrespect: persistently putting you down in front of other people; not listening or responding when you talk; interrupting when you are making telephone calls; taking money from your purse without asking; refusing to help with childcare or housework.

Breaking trust: lying to you; withholding information from you; being jealous; having other relationships; breaking promises and shared agreements.

Isolation: monitoring or blocking your telephone calls; telling you where you can and cannot go; pressuring you or preventing you from seeing friends and relatives.

Harassment: following you; checking up on you; opening your mail; repeatedly dialling 1471 to see who has telephoned you; embarrassing you in public.

Threats and threatening behaviour: making angry gestures; using physical size to intimidate; shouting you down; destroying your possessions; breaking things; punching walls; wielding a knife or a gun.

Sexual violence: using force, threats or intimidation to make you perform sexual acts; rape (having sex with you when you don’t want to have sex); any degrading treatment, using offensive sexual language.

Physical violence: punching; slapping; hitting; biting; pinching; kicking; pulling hair out; pushing; shoving; burning; strangling; raping.

Denial: saying the abuse doesn’t happen; saying you caused the abusive behaviour; being gentle and patient in public but not in private; crying and begging for forgiveness; saying it will never happen again.

The above list is not exhaustive.