Family violence is violence by someone who has a close personal relationship or emotional bond with the person they are abusing.
The types of relationships include couples, partners living apart, parent and child, siblings, or flatmates.
Family Violence happens in same-sex relationships at around the same rate as it does in heterosexual relationships.
Family violence is not always obvious black eyes and bruises. The tactics used might be invisible to someone outside the family, the behaviour might seem trivial or random, but together the tactics have the effect of manipulating and controlling, making the person being abused feel fearful.
Family violence may be physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence or financial control.
It can be a single act of violence but is usually a pattern of behaviours over a period of time aimed at controlling you.
These are often the beginning signs of control. It only ever gets worse from here.
- Phones or texts you excessively to see where you are and what you are doing.
- Questions who is texting or calling you and gets angry or upset if you do not answer.
- Criticises your friends and discourages you from seeing them.
- Makes light of your concerns about his/her behaviour and blames you for it.
- Gets jealous of your relationships with others, including family.
- Makes you leave social and other events when you are out together, not allowing you to stay without him/her.
Family violence is a pattern of power, control and coercion. Abuse is not just physical, trust your intuition. Violence within the home may present differently from culture to culture and between different socio-economic groups.
If something does not feel right to you, then it’s not OK.
Family violence is not always obvious black eyes and bruises. The tactics used might be invisible to someone outside the family, the behaviour might seem trivial or random, but together the tactics have the effect of manipulating and controlling, making the person being abused feel fearful.
Family violence may be physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse or financial control.
Family violence happens in same sex relationships at around the same rate as it does in heterosexual relationships.
See the deinition on family violence as outlined in the Family Violence Act 2018 (Section 9)
Types of relationships as stated in the Act:
For the purposes of this Act, a person (A) is in a family relationship with another person (B) if A—
(a)is a spouse or partner of B; or
(b)is a family member of B; or
(c)ordinarily shares a household with B (see also section 13); or
(d)has a close personal relationship with B (see also section 14).
Compare: 1995 No 86 s 4(1)