Domestic Violence

Many people think that domestic violence means physical violence. This sometimes leads to women not seeking help because “at least he doesn’t hit me”. Unfortunately, there are other ideas about DV which are misleading – you can find out more in Myths & Realities.

DV is about control – about how one person (usually a man) uses an intimate relationship to control their partner or former partner (usually a woman). The controlling behaviour forms a pattern, rather than being one-off incidents.

Controlling behaviour may include:

• Physical abuse – pushing, shoving, beating, burning, strangling, kicking, killing
• Sexual abuse – sexual degradation, rape, forced and unwanted sexual practices
• Psychological abuse – control of every part of her daily life, threats to kill her or her children, isolation and control of her contact with the outside world, verbal abuse and threats, constant criticism, sleep deprivation
• Financial abuse – withholding money, controlling how money is spent

As BSWA is a woman-for-woman service, we will provide support for women who are experiencing domestic violence from both male and female partners or former partners.

To find out more, consult our Facts & Figures.

If you are a woman considering leaving an abusive partner, you may wish to consult our Safety Planning page before taking any actions.

If you want to find out about other helpful organisations, look at our Links page.