Domestic Abuse policy

5. Types of Domestic Abuse

1. 5.1. Domestic Abuse can take on many forms not just physical or mental abuse:
   • Sexual Abuse - rape or forcing a victim into taking part in other forms of sexual acts, sexual abuse of children
   • Psychological and Emotional abuse -including isolating the victim, for example preventing them from seeing friends or family; using threats to kill their family; children or pets - this also includes humiliating their victim and telling them no one would believe them if they tried telling people what was happening
   • Economic Abuse - controlling money and bank accounts, running up debts in victims name, preventing a person from working
   • Online and Digital Abuse - sharing information or photos without consent.
   • Honour Based Violence - offences carried out to protect the perceived honour of a family or a community
     • this abuse is often carried out by family members
     • this includes forced marriages
   • Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) - partial or total loss of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons
   • Controlling Behaviour - range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and or dependent by isolating them from sources of support:
     • exploiting their resources
     • capacities for personal gain
     • depriving them of the means needed for independence
     • resistance
     • escape
     • regulating their everyday behaviour
   • Coercive Behaviour - act or pattern of acts of assault; threats; humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm; punish or frighten their victim