domestic and family violence
Domestic violence is any abusive behaviour used by one partner in a relationship to gain and maintain control over another’s life.
It can occur in any type of domestic relationship, including spousal relationships, intimate personal relationships, family relationships and informal care relationships.
The most common example of domestic violence is the use of violence by men to stop women and children living in safety and free of fear in their own home.
The abuse or assaults in domestic violence may get more dangerous and occur more often over time, so it's important to get help as early as possible.
domestic and family violence can include:
- physical assault (including punching, hitting, kicking, pushing, slapping, choking, or the use of weapons)
- sexual assault (being forced to have sex or participate in sexual activities, either by watching or participating)
- emotional abuse (making you feel worthless, criticising your personality, your looks, the way you dress, constantly putting you down, threatening to hurt you, your children or your pets)
- verbal abuse (including yelling, shouting, name-calling and swearing at you)
- social abuse (being stopped from seeing friends and family, isolating you socially or geographically)
- damaging property such as furniture, the house or pets in order to threaten or intimidate you
- financial abuse (taking control of the money, not giving you enough money to survive on, forcing you to hand over your money, not letting you have a say in how it is spent).
Physical and sexual assault is a crime whether they happen in the home or on the street.
DoCS Domestic Violence Line
1800 656 463
24 hours, 7 days