Domestic abuse and domestic violence are two terms that mean very different things. Domestic abuse refers to the harm caused by an intimate partner to another person, usually in a domestic setting. Domestic violence refers to physical or emotional harm caused by family members or partners. Both of these can cause serious issues in your life if you have been through them and it’s important that you seek help from experts, such as family law solicitors Cordell and Cordell, who can help you deal with what has happened.
What is domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse is a pattern of controlling behaviour which may include physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse. Domestic abuse can also be known as spousal abuse.
When you are living with someone who has been abusing you in this way for a long time, it can be difficult to recognise the signs of domestic violence and abusive relationships. This is because it may not always seem like there’s anything wrong if they haven’t hit you yet. But even if they don’t hurt their partner physically, they may use other types of behaviour to control them and make them feel afraid or worthless.
What is domestic violence?
Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behaviours that occur in intimate relationships. These behaviours often include physical and sexual abuse as well as threats, intimidation, and other forms of emotional and psychological abuse. This can include:
- Physical abuse – slapping, hitting, punching and kicking
• Sexual abuse – forcing someone to have sex with you when they don’t want to
Physical injuries such as bruises and cuts may result from physical violence but it’s important to remember that these injuries are not always visible and do not need to be present for domestic violence to have taken place.
Their differences
Abuse is a pattern of behaviour. The person who abuses their partner will often use the same tactics over and over again, whether it’s physical violence or emotional abuse such as constant criticism or controlling behaviour. Violence is a single act. It doesn’t matter if it was an isolated incident – it can still be considered domestic violence and there are serious consequences for the perpetrator, including imprisonment.
Both can cause serious harm
Both domestic abuse and domestic violence are forms of abuse. They are illegal, can lead to serious injury or death, affect anyone and can be prevented. Domestic abuse and domestic violence can be treated so that those affected can move on with their lives. Both can be prosecuted by the police, courts and prison service if necessary. These two terms are used interchangeably in many places, but they refer to different types of abuse which affect people differently. The bottom line is that both should never be tolerated.
Comments are closed.