Domestic abuse and coercive control can include incidents or a pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading or violent behaviour, including sexual violence. This abuse is often committed by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer (Women’s Aid). Some specific examples include:
Emotional or Psychological
- Threats, humiliation, criticism and name-calling (including racial abuse)
- Undermining your self-confidence
- Controlling what you do or who you speak to
- Stalking
- Depriving you of basic needs, such as food
- Isolating you from your friends and family
- Monitoring your time, contacts, and online communications
- Threatening to or distributing intimate images
Physical
- Hitting, punching, kicking, burning, etc.
- Use (or attempted use) of a weapon against yourself or others
- Threats of violence against yourself or others
- Depriving you of access to support and medical services
Sexual (see also Sexual Misconduct + Assault)
- Rape
- Forcing you to engage in sexual acts
- Forcing you to engage in sex work
- Stealthing (removing a condom without consent)
- Forced marriage
Financial
- Not letting you work
- Withholding money
- Monitoring or controlling your spending
Gender Based Violence (GBV) is defined by the Scottish Government (Violence against women and girls) as:
- Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, within the general community or in institutions, including: domestic abuse, rape, incest and child sexual abuse
- Sexual harassment and intimidation at work and in the public sphere
- Commercial sexual exploitation, including prostitution, pornography and trafficking
- Dowry-related violence
- Forced and child marriages
- Honour crimes
- Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)