What is Domestic Abuse?
We define domestic abuse as a pattern of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and/or violent behaviour, including sexual violence, perpetrated by a partner or ex-partner. Domestic abuse can encompass but is not limited to psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse.
Misconceptions often associate domestic abuse with physical violence, but domestic abuse is often much more than that. For many women and children who live with an abuser, their scars are not visible. Domestic abuse is a pattern of ongoing controlling behaviour that seeks to gain power and control over another person.
Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse
1 in 4 women will be affected by domestic abuse in their lifetime, regardless of age, social class, race, disability or lifestyle.
Domestic abuse is unlikely to be a one-off incident. It is usually a repeat pattern of behaviour and often gets worse over time. For many women, the abuse can continue even after the relationship has ended.
An abuser will often place blame on their victim and tell them it is their fault. This is not true and is a way of gaining further control through guilt.
Controlling and coercive behaviour
Controlling and coercive behaviour was criminalised by the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 and the legislation came into force on 1st April 2019. It is a course of conduct offence, where ongoing harmful and abusive actions in a relationship, which in isolation might not seem as serious, are examined together – this is about behaviour over time.
It reflects the lived experiences of women, children and young people by bridging the gap in addressing controlling behaviours not covered by existing offences and crimes. For further information, visit Scottish Women’s Aid.
Recognising Domestic Abuse
Emotional/Verbal Abuse can include name-calling, restricting someone seeing family/friends, controlling clothing and appearance choices, attempts to frighten and isolate or character assassination.
Physical Abuse can include can include punching, slapping, hitting, kicking, physical restraint, destroying possessions, using weapons, forcing use of drugs or alcohol and controlling food.
Financial Abuse can include taking control of how money is spent, limiting access to bank accounts, withholding wages and running up debts.
Sexual Abuse can include force or pressure into having sex, degrading treatment relating to sexuality, withholding or controlling access to contraception or threatening to share intimate pictures.
Digital Abuse can include using technology to track locations, using social media or text to harras or intimidate, stealing or controlling use of passwords or sending explicit photos without consent.
