Domestic abuse is a broad term incorporating a range of behaviours in a variety of different contexts.  It is often underpinned and fuelled by a complex set of circumstances. For those who have experienced it, the legacy often lasts long after the direct abuse itself may have ended.

In 2021, the Domestic Abuse Act received Royal Assent and, for the first time in history, we finally had a statutory definition of domestic abuse, recognising it as ‘abusive behaviour’ between individuals aged 16 or over who are ‘personally connected’.  While we may still hear the term ‘domestic violence’ being used today, the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 marked a significant shift, providing for the first time a statutory definition that recognises domestic abuse as far more than physical violence:

Age Limitation: Both parties must be aged 16 or over.

Personally Connected Individuals: The definition applies to those who are or have been:-

• in an intimate personal relationship.
• married or civil partners.
• engaged in an agreement to marry or enter into a civil partnership.
• in a parental relationship in relation to the same child.
• relatives or family members (as defined in the Family Law Act 1996).

Abusive Behaviour: Defined as any single incident or course of conduct. It specifically includes:

• physical or sexual abuse.
• violent or threatening behaviour.
• controlling or coercive behaviour.
• economic abuse (such as controlling money, restricting access to resources).
• psychological, emotional, or other abuse.

Children as Victims: The Domestic Abuse Act defines a child (under 18) as a victim of domestic abuse in their own right if:-

• they see, hear, or experience the effects of the abuse, and
• they are related to either the victim or perpetrator of that abuse.

Domestic abuse occurs across the world, irrespective of socio-economic status, race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation.