Are you a victim of domestic abuse?
Are you a victim of domestic abuse?
Is your partner, your ex, or someone in your family trying to control you? Do they threaten you or force you into things? If so, you may be a victim of domestic abuse (also sometimes called domestic violence).
Domestic abuse may involve:
- emotional abuse - eg. if someone calls you names, continually criticises you, humiliates you in any way, punishes you by witholding affection or plays mind games with you
- isolation - eg. controlling where you go and who you talk to, trapping you in your own home or continually acting in a jealous and possessive way
- intimidation - eg. smashing or throwing things when angry, punching or kicking doors, etc
- threats - eg. if someone says they'll commit suicide or that they will hurt you, the children, your family or your pets
- economic abuse - eg. giving you an allowance, refusing to share money, not letting you work
- control - eg. taking your 'privileges' away, not letting you make any of the big decisions or expecting you to ask permission
- children - eg. if someone uses your children to pass on messages
- physical violence - eg. if someone ever pushes, slaps, bites, kicks or chokes you; if they ever scare you by driving recklessly, use an object or a weapon to hurt you, or abandon you in an unfamiliar place
- sexual abuse - eg. holding you down during sex, forcing you to have sex or dress in a sexual way, or involves other people in sexual activities with you.
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As a victim, you may have lost your freedom to live your life as you want, without fear.
Domestic abuse can be dangerous. Just because these things happen in a domestic situation, it doesn't make them any less serious. It's not 'just a domestic'. In fact, domestic abuse is often more serious than other offences. On average, two women a week are killed by a male partner or ex - and victims of domestic abuse are much more likely to experience repeated incidents than victims of other crimes.
Domestic abuse can happen to women and to men - and it is common. 30% of all women and 17% of all men have been victims of domestic abuse.
Domestic abuse is unacceptable, and Sussex Police take it seriously.