Domestic violence is defined by Leeway as any abuse that takes place within an intimate or family relationship and forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour. This can include forced marriage and so-called ‘honour crimes’. Domestic violence may include a range of abusive behaviours, not all of which are in themselves inherently ‘violent’.
These are only a few examples, sadly there are many more examples not listed:
The Government defines domestic abuse as "Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality." This includes issues of concern to black and minority ethnic (BME) communities such as so called 'honour killings'.
Key facts in Norfolk and Suffolk:
Escaping domestic violence can be difficult for many reasons
All Leeway’s client based services aim to empower adults and children by providing them with the time, space, support and information they need to make decisions about their futures.
Does domestic abuse only happen in certain cultures or classes?
No. Research shows that domestic abuse is most commonly experienced by women and perpetrated by men. However any man or woman can experience domestic abuse regardless of race, ethnic or religious group, class, disability or lifestyle. Domestic abuse can also take place in lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender relationships, and can involve other family members, including children.
People look for abusive partners
More appropriately this can be rephrased to demonstrate that perpetrators will frequently target vulnerable women. That is not to say that everyone who experiences domestic abuse is vulnerable in some way. Women who experience domestic abuse come from all backgrounds, including women that appear strong and self confident as well those that do not. Every perpetrator is different and every victim’s experience and way of dealing with the abuse is different depending on their own history, personality and access to resources and support
It’s about drink/drugs/alcohol
Drink can be a factor where there is domestic abuse occurring, it can lessen a person’s inhibitions ‘allowing them’ to be violent. Often perpetrators who hit their partner when drunk use it as an excuse to deny it later on, or claim they couldn’t help it or didn’t mean it. It is important to remember that domestic abuse is about a pattern of behaviour, not just physical assault, often other forms of abuse may be more apparent when the perpetrator is sober.
Cycle of abuse
Generally this theory claims that boys witnessing domestic abuse will become perpetrators and girls will become victims, i.e. children repeat what they witness. It is estimated that 3 out of 5 children are witnessing domestic abuse (Youth Update , Feb 2000) therefore it is hardly surprising that some perpetrators and some victims will have grown up with domestic abuse. The majority of those children, however, do not go on to become abusers or victims themselves, and many make very positive choices to avoid violence as adults. Alongside this there are many perpetrators and victims that did not experience domestic violence as children.
Perpetrators are sick or mentally ill
There is no evidence to support the statement that perpetrators of domestic abuse are consistently psychologically any different to non abusers. Since domestic abuse cuts across social groups in society some perpetrators will have mental health issues and this will affect the violence, but most do not.
Domestic abuse only occurs in ‘problem families’, working class or ethnic minority families
According to the UN domestic abuse affects 1 in 4 women worldwide, in all cultures and all communities. The government Safety and Justice White Paper states that: ‘among women, risks of domestic violence do not differ significantly by ethnic origin’ (Safety and Justice 2000:9)
Perpetrators lose control
Often abusers themselves will use this as an excuse; however it fails to explain why perpetrators hit their victims in private and often inflict injuries on parts of their bodies that will be covered by clothes. Perpetrators rarely hit other people in public, at work or on the street, therefore making choices and controlling when and where they are prepared to be violent.
It is just a violent family
Most relationships have some arguments within them, but domestic abuse is where one person uses a pattern of verbal/emotional/psychological abuse which may or may not be accompanied by violence to control another person. On the whole perpetrators of domestic abuse tend to be men and victims tend to be women (Home Office 2002). Studies have shown that where women use violence it is more likely to be in self defence after years of repeated abuse in order to protect themselves or their children