About domestic and family violence
If you’re in immediate danger, phone the police on Triple Zero (000).
What is domestic and family violence?
Domestic and family violence happens when one person in a relationship uses violence or abuse to control the other person. Domestic and family violence is usually an ongoing pattern of behaviour aimed at controlling a partner through fear.
Abuse can include:
- physical abuse, (e.g. slapping, hitting or pushing)
- damaging property to frighten you (e.g. punching holes in walls)
- emotional abuse (e.g. criticising your personality, looks or parenting skills)
- social abuse (e.g. not letting you see your friends or family)
- spiritual abuse (e.g. forcing you to attend religious activities or stopping you from taking part in your religious or cultural practices)
- verbal abuse (e.g. yelling, shouting and swearing at you)
- sexual abuse (e.g. forcing you to have sex)
- financial abuse (e.g. not giving you enough money to survive, or forcing you to hand over your money)
- stalking (e.g. constantly following or phoning you).
Abusive behaviour can also be threats, including threats to:
- hurt you, the people you care about or your pets
- damage your personal items
- take away your freedom of movement (e.g. locking you in the house)
- stop taking care of you (if you are an elderly person or have a disability and rely on someone to take care of you)
- commit suicide or harm themselves to intimidate you.
Signs of domestic and family violence
A victim of domestic and family violence may:
- seem afraid of someone close to them
- try to hide bruises (e.g. by wearing long sleeves in summer months, or give unlikely explanations for injuries)
- have little or no say about how money is spent
- stop seeing friends and family
- become depressed, unusually quiet or lose confidence
- how signs of neglect if they are older or have a disability
- have a partner who frequently accuses them of cheating or continually checks on them
- be reluctant to leave their children with their partner.
Read more about supporting someone experiencing domestic and family violence.
Effects of domestic and family violence on children
Children are also affected by domestic and family violence—even if they haven’t seen the abuse or violence.
Children affected by domestic and family violence could:
- try to stop the abuse and thereby put themselves at risk
- copy the abusive behaviour, bully others or be cruel to animals
- be bullied by others
- feel fearful, nervous, guilty or depressed
- relapse into bed wetting and thumb sucking or have nightmares
- show changes in their school behaviour and performance
- have unexplained ailments including headaches, asthma and stuttering
- run away from home
- attempt suicide or self harm
- abuse drugs and alcohol.
Support for children or young people
Find out how to help a child affected by domestic and family violence.
If you’re a child or young person affected by domestic and family violence, read more about what you can do about domestic and family violence.
