Domestic abuse is an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence, by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer (Women's Aid).
Domestic abuse can look like:
- Hitting, kicking, or other physical violence
- Yelling, name-calling, or other insults
- Threats, intimidation, or making you feel scared
- Forcing you to have sex or do other sexual things you don't want
- Controlling your money or how you spend it
- Keeping you from seeing friends or family
- Taking away your phone or other things you need
Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, age, race, sexual orientation, or relationship status.
Domestic abuse happens in all types of couples and all types of family.
It's important to know that you're not alone and there is help available.
You can access support from university if the person harming you is another student. You can also access support from university if the person is not a student or member of staff at the university.