Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse is when a grown-up threatens, bullies or hurts another adult in the family. Sometimes it's called domestic violence. And it can happen in any family.
What is domestic abuse?
It might not always be obvious if what's happening at home is domestic abuse, but if somebody in your family uses bullying or violence to get another adult to do what they want, that's domestic abuse.
It can include:
- Physical violence like hitting, kicking, punching, pushing, hair-pulling.
- Threats to hurt you, another person in your family, or a pet.
- Threats to stop money for food or bills.
- Making another person do something sexual when they don't want to, or making someone watch something sexual.
- Controlling someone's finances - not allowing somebody to spend their own money, or not giving them money for basic things such as food, nappies for babies, or clothes.
- Controlling someone's life including stopping someone from going to work or school.
- Cultural or 'honour' violence - being hurt or abused as a punishment for something that's not seen as culturally acceptable by your community or family. It can include being forced to marry someone.
If your boyfriend or girlfriend is under 16 and is being abusive, this is relationship abuse.
Telling someone helps!