Types of abuse

What is domestic abuse?

The UK government’s definition of domestic abuse is “Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexual orientation. The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to: psychological, physical, sexual, economic and emotional forms of abuse."

Phone 999 and ask for the police if you are in immediate danger

What are the types of abuse?

Domestic abuse is not always physical violence and can take many different forms. This can include but is not limited to the following types of abuse:

Physical abuse: assault, punches, kicks, hitting, forced imprisonment, biting, strangulation, burning, dragging, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, using weapons, throwing objects
Emotional abuse: persistently putting you down, isolating you from friends and family, name calling, sulking and checking up on you
Financial abuse: preventing a person from getting or keeping a job, taking money, not permitting access to or withholding family income
Psychological abuse: verbal abuse, blaming, mind games, criticisms, accusations, emotional abuse, jealous and obsessive behaviour, humiliation, comparisons, manipulation, complete control of a person's life, threats to kill the person or the children, imposed social isolation, sleep deprivation.
Sexual abuse: forcing you to have sex against your will, sexual assault, forced prostitution, degradation, forced anal or vaginal penetration, using objects, humiliation, forced to watch or act in pornography
Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape, and regulating their everyday behaviour.
Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation, or other abuse that is used to harm, punish or frighten their victim.

Abuse also includes so-called honour based abuse, female genital mutilation (FGM) and Forced Marriage.

What is Child to Parent Violence (CPV)?

Child to Parent Violence (CPV) is an often hidden serious social problem

It involves teenage and younger boys and girls who use physical, psychological, emotional or financial abuse to gain power over their parent/s or carers
CPV reverses the usual power relationship where the parent/s or carer/s have authority in relation to their sons or daughters
CPV is not the kind of unruly behaviour children display but when a child persistently uses more severe abuse and or violence to get their own way
Parents find it hard to admit to themselves, let alone others, what they are experiencing from their child

Cottrell (2003) describes child to parent violence as “…any harmful act by a teenage child intended to gain power and control over a parent. The abuse can be physical, psychological, or financial.”
Violent behavior includes threats, intimidation, property destruction, degrading language and physical violence.

Home Office guidance concerning adolescent to parent abuse

Adolescent to parent violence and abuse (APVA) may be referred to as ‘adolescent to parent violence (APV)’ ‘adolescent violence in the home (AVITH)’, ‘parent abuse’, ‘child to parent abuse’, ‘child to parent violence (CPV)’, or ‘battered parent syndrome’.

The cross-Government definition of domestic violence and abuse is any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not limited to psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse. While this definition applies to those aged 16 or above, APVA can equally involve children under 16, and the advice in this document reflects this.

There is currently no legal definition of adolescent to parent violence and abuse. However, it is increasingly recognised as a form of domestic violence and abuse and, depending on the age of the child, it may fall under the government’s official definition of domestic violence and abuse.

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