Domestic or family violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner.
Abuse is a range of behaviours and actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound someone.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender.
It can occur within a range of relationships including couples who are married, living together or dating or formerly partnered. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.

There are many forms of abuse including;

physical,
verbal,
emotional,
financial,
social isolation,
sexual
spiritual
coercive control
technology facilitated abuse (use of phone, computers, tracking devices and recording equipment)
stalking
image based abuse (taking or sharing/threatening to share intimate, nude or sexual, or culturally sensitive images or videos without the consent of those pictured. Includes real or digitally altered images)
psychological.
Psychological or emotional abuse can be just as or more harmful than physical abuse.

DFV can have a profound effect on children whether they are the target of abuse or witness abuse of another family member and women and children are the overwhelming majority of those who experience domestic and family violence (DFV).

Any person can experience domestic and family violence regardless of race, ethnic or religious group, class, sexuality or lifestyle. Adults can abuse their children, and adolescent children can abuse their parents.

Someone you know may very likely be experiencing domestic or family violence in their relationship

Some communities, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, prefer the term ‘family violence’ to domestic violence. Family violence refers to violence between family members (for example children and parents) as well as intimate partners. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the term ‘family violence’ better reflects their understanding and experience of violence.

Abuse in a relationship is never acceptable.

ABOUT DOMESTIC/FAMILY VIOLENCE

• Abuse of any type happens in families regardless of class, education, cultural or religious background.

• DFV is against the law in Western Australia.

The victim is not to blame.

• Alcohol and drug abuse can make violence worse, but they do not cause violence.

• Abuse tends to get worse and happens more and more often; it won’t stop unless there is help from outside the situation.

• Violence in the family will have a negative effect on children’s behaviour and future mental health.

• Abuse takes different forms

Coercive Control

Coercive control in intimate partner relationships is where one person chooses to exert power over their partner to gain and maintain control of them. Abusers use coercive control to restrict the freedom of thought, expression, movement and independence of their partner by placing constraints on their partner’s time, spending, socialising and other aspects of everyday living.

Coercive control is a pattern of behaviours that can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, economic abuse, threats, intimidation, isolation, blaming, minimising and the exercise of male privilege.

Everyone deserves safety and respect in their intimate relationships. Nobody has the right to control, hurt, intimidate or humiliate you. Nobody has the right to threaten you or the people you love, or to control you.

The free online Coercive Control Self-Assessment Tool will support victim-survivors to identify if they are experiencing coercive control and to understand the different forms it can take.

https://yourtoolkit.com/questionnaire/ccsa/