UK’s national charity, Women’s Aid, defines domestic abuse as an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence, in most cases by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer. Unfortunately, it’s is very common. Although more cases of male victims are emerging, most cases it is experienced by women and the abuse perpetrated by men.

Coercive or controlling behaviour within an intimate or family relationship was established as a criminal offence in the Serious Crime Act 2015 and came into force on 29 December 2015. It can involve acts of humiliation or intimidation or making the victim subordinate or dependent.

• Psychological and/or emotional abuse
• Physical or sexual abuse
• Financial or economic abuse
• Harassment and stalking
• Online or digital abuse

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