What is Domestic Abuse?

Domestic abuse is when an adult, like our dad or step-dad bullies another adult like our mum. It happens when we live in the same house or different houses. Children and young people can experience domestic abuse by what they hear, see or feel, and it can hurt us.

These are examples of domestic abuse:

Physical – when someone’s body gets hurt. For example, when someone gets hit, pushed or strangled.

Emotional – when someone is frightened or upset by what someone has said or done, for example when someone is stopped from seeing their friends and family or they are made fun of.

Sexual – when someone is made to do sexual things that they do not want to do.

Financial – when someone’s money is taken away from them, they are told what to spend their money on or they are not allowed to have a job.

Domestic abuse is not something that happens once, it happens more than once when an adult is trying to control what someone does, thinks or feels.

Please remember that domestic abuse is not your fault, the adult who is bullying is responsible for their behaviour, not you.