Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviour used by one person to gain control and power over another person with whom they have or previously had an intimate relationship. Anyone can experience domestic violence, regardless or age, race, sexual orientation, religion, economic status or education.
Domestic violence can include:
- physical violence with the use of hands, weapons or objects
- sexual violence, including threats, intimidation, physical force or using a position of power for sexual purposes
- emotional abuse, verbal or psychological abuse. This includes threatening to kill a partner, child, family member, friend, pet or livestock
- spiritual abuse, including using religion to threaten or intimidate ,forcing someone to comply with religious beliefs against their will or preventing someone from practicing their beliefs
- financial abuse, including stealing, controlling finances, forcing a partner to work or prohibiting a partner from working
- harassment and stalking, including monitoring online activities, using electronic devices to control or watch, following or consistently invading their privacy
- cyber-violence, including image and video sharing without consent, taking photos or video without consent, online harassment, unwanted sexting and hate speech.