Learn / Believe

Domestic Abuse

Domestic Abuse can impact anyone, at any point in their life, regardless of their background, age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status or sexuality.

It can happen in any type of intermate partner relationship and at times family members and extended family members can take part in the abuse. This includes so called ‘honour’ based violence, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Forced Marriage.

The abuse people experience will differ too. It can include but is not limited to physical violence, economic and financial abuse, online abuse, psychological and emotional abuse, coercive control and sexual abuse.


  • Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour. Read more about controlling behaviour.

  • Coercive behaviour is: a continuing act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used by one or more persons to harm, punish, or frighten their victim. Read more about coercive behaviour.

  • Economic abuse is a legally recognised form of domestic abuse and it often occurs in the context of intimate partner violence. It involves the control of a partner or ex-partner’s money, finances and things that money can buy, such as clothing, transport, food and a place to live. Read more about economic abuse.

  • Gaslighting: a tactic in which a person, in order to gain more power, forces a victim* to question their own reality and blame themselves for what is happening. Anyone is susceptible to gaslighting, and it is a common technique of abusers. It is done slowly, so the victim doesn’t realise how much they’ve been brainwashed. For example, in the movie Gaslight (1944), a man manipulates his wife to the point where she thinks she is losing her mind. Read more about Gaslighting.

  • Stalking: is a pattern of fixated and obsessive behaviour which is repeated, persistent, intrusive and causes fear of violence or engenders alarm and distress in the victim. Stalking and domestic abuse are highly correlated with coercive control often both present simultaneously (Norris et al 2011). Read more about Stalking.

  • So called ‘honour’ based violence: is often carried out by immediate family, distant relatives and the wider community. The victim may be subjected to a variety of different abusive behaviours ranging in severity. So called ‘honour’ based violence is sometimes referred to as ‘Izzat’, ‘Ghairat’, ‘Namus’ or ‘Sharam’ and is often justified by the perpetrators as being necessary as the victim has brought shame on the family. Read more about so called ‘honour’ based violence.

  • Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): FGM comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

*We’ve used the term victim, to describe those that endure domestic abuse but they are not weak, they are strong – fighting and succeeding every day to stay alive, to turn up to work and to parent their children.

**‘Duress’ includes psychological, sexual, financial or emotional pressure and physical violence.

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