Domestic abuse is an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, bullying, threatening, or violent behaviour, by a partner, ex-partner, or family member. But it isn’t just physical violence – domestic abuse includes emotional, physical, sexual, economic, and psychological abuse. Abusive behaviour can happen in any relationship and it can continue even after the relationship has ended.

Forced marriage, ‘honour’ based violence and female genital mutilation are also forms of domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse happens between adults who are or have been intimate partners, or family members (mother, father, sister, brother grandchildren, and grandparents) and includes in-laws and step families and same sex relationships.