What is Domestic Abuse?
Domestic abuse (also called domestic violence) is when someone hurts or bullies another person in the family. It can happen between people who are married to each other, live together, have children together, it can also happen if they do not live together.
Domestic abuse can happen to anyone regardless of their age, gender, background, ethnicity, sexuality or religion.
Domestic abuse is never the fault of the person who is experiencing it and it can happen at any point in a relationship, including after the relationship has split up.
Domestic abuse is a crime.
What’s the difference between a normal family argument and domestic abuse?
Sometimes, people say things to each other in an argument that are mean and hurtful. However, there’s a difference between a normal argument and domestic abuse. Domestic abuse is when a person is trying to control the other person by being repeatedly abusive and sometimes violent towards them. For further information on Family problems see the NSPCC website.
One of my parents often gets drunk. Is that why they hit the other one?
Alcohol doesn't cause domestic abuse, but it can make the abuse worse.
People choose to be abusive but sometimes use or blame alcohol or drugs as an excuse – but there are no excuses for violence or abuse. Sometimes abusers say their behaviour is due to stress, or because they are worried about work or money. Other people might say that a person deserved to be hurt because of something they did. None of these are true – and no one deserves to be abused.
I feel scared at home, is this normal?
No, it is not normal to feel scared at home. You have a right to feel safe and adults have the responsibility to protect you. If you feel scared or unsafe at home, maybe because you see violence happening or maybe because someone is hurting you, it’s important that you get help.
If you are living in an abusive environment
Even if you are not the person who the abuse is directed at, just being in an abusive environment can be very difficult to cope with and your home should be a place where you feel safe.
There are lots of services across in Tameside to help you if you are living in an abusive environment. Professionals in Tameside (teachers, social workers, health visitors, doctors, youth workers etc.) are updated on these services and should be able to help you to find a service to help you.
Things you can do:
- Make yourself a safety plan
- Speak to somebody about it
- Seek help or advice
- Report it
Remember never blame yourself, abuse is not your fault.