What is Domestic Violence?
Posted by Guest Writer on Tue, 12 May 2009.
Domestic violence includes many abusive behaviours that you may find in an unhealthy relationship; these behaviours will happen regularly and over a period of time and includes not only physical violence such as hitting but also:
Financial abuse:
taking the persons money, not letting the person work to earn money, not letting the person spend their own money, only giving the person a small amount to spend as pocket money.
Sexual abuse:
includes unwanted sex- rape making the person take part in sexual acts they do not want to, touching the person where/when they do not want to be touched, making the person watch sexual movies against their will.
Emotional abuse:
picking on the person, putting them down-calling them names, saying comments about the way they look or dress, bullying them, intimidating the person by shouting or scaring them, threatening the person, humiliating the person and not allowing the person to have contact with any friends or family.
Anyone can be a victim (someone who is getting hurt) of domestic violence and anyone can be an abuser (someone who is doing the hurting).
It can be a partner, ex-partner, carer or one or more family members, it can also include abuse from a girl or boyfriend if you are a teenager. It does not matter where someone lives, or what race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality they are or whether they have a disability, Domestic violence can affect anyone.
Domestic Violence does not just happen the once and as time goes on, it may get worse. The abuser will use different forms of abuse to control the victim and therefore the victim and the rest of the family can be deeply affected. It takes the victim some time before seeking help.
Domestic Violence is about control, it is a choice to be abusive and a choice to stop. It is not your fault and you are not to blame for someone else’s behaviour.