Understanding Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence
Domestic, family and sexual violence includes any behaviour, in an intimate or family relationship, which is violent, threatening, coercive or controlling, causing a person to live in fear and to be made to do things against their will. This may involve having to significantly modify their behaviour in an attempt to mitigate threats to their safety or wellbeing or the safety and wellbeing of people they care about. Domestic, family and sexual violence can happen to anyone and can take many forms. It is often part of a pattern of controlling or coercive behaviour.
Definitions
Taken from DV-Alert Domestic and Family Violence Response Training Workbook
| Coercive |
Patterns of controlling behavior to gain power and control by eroding a person’s self esteem |
| Cultural/spiritual violence |
Not letting the person follow their own religious beliefs, misusing religious traditions to justify abuse |
| Financial abuse |
Controls/limits money and decisions around money (no access to cash/cards) |
| Physical |
Direct assault on the body (slapping, shaking, choking) |
| Psychological or emotional |
Manipulation, humiliation (undermining the victim's self-esteem through comparisons with others) |
| Sexual violence |
Rape, unwanted sex (made to watch pornography) |
| Social |
Isolation from family/friends, monitoring where they are going, reading messages, smashing phone |
| Stalking |
Driving past home/workplace, unwanted gifts, watching from parked car |
| Technology facilitated |
Tracking via phone, monitoring online banking, threats on social media |
| Verbal |
Shouting, put downs |
