What is domestic abuse?

Domestic abuse can and does happen to anyone. It does not discriminate due to age, gender, profession, sexual orientation, religion, social class or income. The impact of abuse can result in a range of negative and harmful effects on health, wellbeing and outcomes in life. It can impact future generations and their ability, capacity and attitude towards relationships, parenting, self-esteem and mental health. 

Domestic abuse has to stop! North Norfolk District Council has pledged its support to the countywide HEAR campaign, which aims to break the silence around domestic abuse and provide support in the workplace.

Anyone can be a victim or perpetrator of abuse, it’s an uncomfortable topic, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about it. Domestic abuse goes well beyond physical violence, everyone’s situation is different, and a one-size-fits-all does not work, but we can start to make the change if we talk about it.

As a council and working with our communities, we want North Norfolk to be a place where no one is affected by domestic abuse. And those who are can get help to end the abuse and live the lives they want. We need to work together and make a stand to never condone or stay silent about domestic abuse.

If you or someone you know is in a relationship that doesn’t feel right, please speak to someone about it. 

The Domestic Abuse Act

On 29 April 2021, the Domestic Abuse Act received royal assent and was signed into law. The Act provides further protections to the millions of people who experience domestic abuse and strengthens measures to tackle perpetrators. For the first time in history, there is a wide-ranging legal definition of domestic abuse, which incorporate a range of abusive behaviours beyond just physical or sexual violence. 

The Act defines Domestic Abuse as when one person is abusive towards another person they are personally connected to, and both are aged 16 or over. It can be a single incident or ongoing behaviour. 

What is abuse?

Abuse can be any of these behaviours:

• physical or sexual abuse
• violent or threatening 
• controlling or coercive
• psychological and emotional 
• economic abuse (where the behaviour prevents or hampers the ability to get, use or keep money or property, or obtain goods and services) 

Personally connected means that two people have been or they are: 

• married or civil partners to each other
• agreed to marry one another or have entered into a civil partnership agreement (even if it didn't go ahead)
• in an intimate personal relationship with each other
• parents or guardians to the same child
• relatives