Domestic Violence

What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence is any type of violence or intimidation used by one partner to control and dominate the other. It can include:

physical abuse	social abuse
sexual abuse	financial abuse
verbal abuse	spiritual abuse
emotional abuse	psychological abuse
threats	intimidation
damage to property

The aim of all forms of domestic violence is to assert power and control.The abusive partner will use a range of tactics to gain and maintain control over their partner. These may include making you fear for the safety of you and your children, making you feel bad about yourself, isolating you from family and friends.

It is common for abusive partners to make you think that the violence is your fault. If you are a victim of domestic violence:

THE VIOLENCE IS NOT YOUR FAULT

You are not responsible for the behaviour of others.The only person responsible for the abuse is the abuser.

Many women feel trapped and isolated in abusive relationships. If you are experiencing abuse from your partner or have had an abusive relationship there are options available.

Domestic violence affects children and young people too

All children who have witnessed domestic violence will be affected in some way and will often show the same signs of trauma as other abused or neglected children, even if they have not been directly abused.They are also
significantly more likely to be physically or sexually abused by the perpetrator of the violence than children who have not lived with domestic violence.

Children and young people who have witnessed domestic violence may have low self-esteem, feel sad, have difficulty making friends, display behavioural problems, show high levels of anxiety, have difficulties at school, display aggressive behaviour or be quiet and withdrawn.

Children deserve the right to be safe and free from violence. Counseling and support groups are available in most area's for all children and young people between 5 and 17 years who are currently living in an unsafe environment.

Counseling and support groups can help children and young people understand that they are not alone in experiencing domestic violence and can provide an opportunity for them to talk about their experiences and feelings. Children and young people are able to learn that they are not responsible for the violence and abuse and can be assisted in processing the trauma they have experienced.They can also learn to develop new ways of resolving conflict and expressing their feelings in ways that are respectful to themselves and others