What is domestic abuse and how can I get support?

Domestic violence or abuse can happen to anyone. Find out how to recognise the signs and where to get help.

If you're worried someone might see you have visited this page, the Women's Aid website tells you how to cover your tracks online.

Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse, includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse in couple relationships or between family members.

Domestic violence can happen against anyone, and anybody can be an abuser. 

What is domestic abuse?

Domestic violence and abuse is not just about physical violence. It comes in many forms:

• Blaming: Put all the blame on you - saying that you caused the violent behaviour
• Threats: Making angry gestures or intimidating you with weapons, shouting at you, punching walls, breaking crockery, threatening to cause harm to you or the children or themselves if they don't get their own way. Threats to kill
• Harassment: Constantly checking your movement, and accounting for your time, opening your mail and overhearing phone conversations, embarrassing you in public
• Physical violence: Pushing, kicking, biting, slapping, making you have a tattoo, pulling hair, slapping or strangling
• Isolation: Not letting you see your friends or family members, expecting you to stay indoors most of the time
• Sexual violence: Forcing you to carryout sexual acts against your will, using force or intimidation to have sex with you
• Financial abuse: Withhold money for basic essential item, ask for accounts of small change
• Criticising: Constantly criticising putting you down in front of others, criticising your appearance, your cooking, your parenting skills.You have the right to live a life free from violence and fear.