Bryan & Armstrong can help with legal advice on domestic violence and offer a 20% discount on your first consultation
So what constitutes domestic violence? Domestic violence in the UK is a pattern of abusive behaviours intended to exert power and control over an intimate partner or family member. It is recognized as a significant societal issue and is not limited to physical violence. Instead, it encompasses various forms of abuse, including psychological, emotional, sexual, financial, and coercive behaviours.
The UK government defines domestic violence as any incident or pattern of incidents involving controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence, or abuse between individuals aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. This definition underscores that domestic violence is not confined to physical assaults but includes subtler and pervasive forms of abuse.
Physical abuse involves acts of violence such as hitting, slapping, or pushing. Emotional and psychological abuse includes behaviours like constant criticism, humiliation, or threats. Sexual abuse involves any non-consensual sexual activity, including coercion and assault. Financial abuse may include controlling access to money, preventing someone from working, or exploiting their financial resources.
A sinister form of what constitutes domestic violence is coercive control
A particularly insidious form of domestic violence is coercive control, which became a criminal offense in 2015 under the Serious Crime Act. Coercive control refers to a pattern of behaviour that isolates, exploits, or dominates an individual, such as monitoring their activities, restricting access to friends or family, or manipulating them through fear.
Victims can be anyone, irrespective of gender, age, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. Support services, such as domestic abuse helplines and refuge centres, exist to provide assistance. Recognizing the diverse manifestations of domestic violence is crucial to addressing and preventing it, and UK law continues to evolve to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
Bryan & Armstrong can support you with all aspects of family law, from divorce, domestic abuse, legal aid, unmarried couple disputes, arrangements for children and starting a new relationship
