Recognise the signs

Types of Domestic Abuse

Abuse is not limited to physical violence. Learn how different forms of abuse can appear in everyday life.

Understanding abuse

Domestic abuse can take many forms

Abuse can involve controlling, threatening, intimidating or manipulating someone during a relationship or after separation. The examples below are not a complete checklist. You can ask for support even if you are unsure how to describe what is happening.

Types and examples

Forms of abuse

Physical abuse

The use of physical force to hurt, intimidate or control another person.

  • Slapping, punching, kicking or hitting.
  • Pushing, shoving or grabbing.
  • Choking or strangulation.
  • Restraining someone or preventing them from leaving a room.
  • Throwing objects at someone.
  • Pulling someone's hair.

Emotional and psychological abuse

Behaviour that undermines someone's confidence, independence, self-esteem or emotional wellbeing.

  • Constantly criticising or humiliating a partner.
  • Making someone feel worthless or inadequate.
  • Threatening to end the relationship to control someone.
  • Deliberately frightening or intimidating someone.
  • Blaming the victim for the perpetrator's behaviour.
  • Threatening suicide to manipulate a partner.

Coercive and controlling behaviour

A pattern of behaviour used to dominate, control or restrict another person's freedom.

  • Dictating what someone can wear.
  • Controlling who they can speak to or see.
  • Preventing them from visiting family or friends.
  • Monitoring their movements and whereabouts.
  • Requiring permission before leaving the house.
  • Controlling access to money, food or transport.
  • Making someone account for every minute of their day.

Financial and economic abuse

Controlling someone's finances or preventing them from having financial independence.

  • Taking someone's wages or benefits.
  • Preventing someone from working.
  • Refusing to provide money for essential household items.
  • Monitoring every purchase.
  • Building up debt in someone's name.
  • Preventing access to bank accounts.
  • Forcing someone to hand over their savings.

Sexual abuse

Any sexual activity or behaviour without freely given consent.

  • Forcing someone to have sexual intercourse.
  • Pressuring someone into sexual activities.
  • Continuing sexual activity after consent has been withdrawn.
  • Sexual assault or unwanted touching.
  • Forcing someone to watch pornography.
  • Using threats or intimidation to obtain sex.
  • Reproductive coercion, such as interfering with contraception.

Verbal abuse

Using words to intimidate, degrade, threaten or frighten another person.

  • Shouting and screaming aggressively.
  • Calling someone offensive or degrading names.
  • Making threats of physical violence.
  • Constantly swearing at a partner.
  • Making humiliating comments about someone's appearance.
  • Threatening to harm family members.

Other ways abuse can appear

Beyond the familiar signs

Digital and online abuse

Using technology or online platforms to monitor, threaten, harass or control someone.

  • Checking someone's phone without permission.
  • Demanding passwords to social media accounts.
  • Tracking someone's location using mobile applications.
  • Sending repeated threatening messages.
  • Monitoring online activity.
  • Sharing intimate photographs without consent.
  • Impersonating someone online.

Stalking and harassment

Repeated unwanted attention or behaviour that causes fear, distress or alarm.

  • Following someone to work or home.
  • Repeatedly turning up uninvited.
  • Making persistent unwanted telephone calls.
  • Sending unwanted gifts or letters.
  • Monitoring someone's movements.
  • Contacting friends, family or colleagues to obtain information.

Honour-based abuse

Abuse carried out in the name of perceived family or community honour.

  • Threatening someone for refusing an arranged marriage.
  • Punishing someone for choosing their own partner.
  • Threatening violence for bringing perceived shame to the family.
  • Restricting someone's freedom because of family expectations.
  • Threatening to disown or ostracise someone.

Forced marriage

Forcing someone to marry without their free and full consent.

  • Threatening someone to make them agree to a marriage.
  • Taking someone abroad to force them to marry.
  • Using physical violence to secure agreement.
  • Emotional blackmail involving family reputation.
  • Threatening to disown someone if they refuse.

Post-separation abuse

Abuse that continues or escalates after a relationship has ended.

  • Repeatedly contacting an ex-partner despite requests to stop.
  • Turning up at their new home.
  • Threatening to harm them or their new partner.
  • Using child contact arrangements to continue harassment.
  • Refusing to leave a jointly occupied property to intimidate or control them.
  • Damaging property or belongings.

If any of this feels familiar

You can talk to CDA about what is happening and your options. If you are in immediate danger, call 999.

Contact CDA

For more information, see the GOV.UK domestic abuse statutory guidance.

Make a Referral