Recognising the Signs: Exploring The 8 Types of Domestic Violence

1. Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is one of the most noticeable forms of domestic violence as it often leaves visible marks or injuries. Since physical abuse involves direct assaults on the body, it rarely occurs in isolation and perpetrators can also inflict other types of abuse on victims.

Perpetrators of physical violence may also engage in other forms of abuse, such as emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse, as part of a pattern of controlling behaviour. Moreover, physical abuse may worsen over time and become increasingly dangerous for the victim's safety and health.

Physical abuse involves any form of physical harm or physical violence including:

2. Emotional Abuse or Psychological Abuse

Emotional abuse is a form of domestic violence characterised by a pattern of behaviour aimed at controlling, manipulating, or undermining another person's emotional well-being and sense of self-worth. Unlike physical abuse, emotional abuse may not leave visible scars, but its effects can be equally damaging and long-lasting. In many cases, those who suffer from emotional abuse are unfairly held responsible for issues within the relationship, unfairly compared to others in a negative light, or subjected to bullying tactics.



Some common forms of emotional abuse within the household include:

• Ignoring their intimate partner or family member as a form of punishment
• Dismissing and devaluing your concerns and complaints, refusing to acknowledge their significance, and mocking you for bringing them up
• Dismissing one's feelings by labelling them as 'too sensitive'
• Engaging in manipulative mind games, or making you doubt your sanity (commonly known as gaslighting)
• Publicly or privately humiliating and embarrassing their family member
• Justifying their behaviour with jealousy
• Using guilt as a means of control
• Emotional blackmail to coerce someone into compliance through guilt, threats, or manipulation of their emotions.
  

3. Verbal Abuse

Verbal abuse refers to the use of words or language to belittle, demean, intimidate, or control another person. It involves the intentional and repeated use of verbal attacks to damage someone's self-esteem, sense of worth, or emotional well-being.

While there are no visible bruises, the wounds inflicted by verbal abuse can be just as harmful enough to cause long-term emotional trauma and psychological distress to the victim. Verbal abuse can take various forms, including:

4. Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse refers to any act or behaviour that involves forcing or coercing another person into sexual activity without their consent. It can occur within families or intimate relationships and create an environment of fear and control where the victim feels powerless and violated within their own home or relationship.

This form of sexual violence is often perpetrated by an abusive partner, who uses manipulation and intimidation to exert power over the victim. In other cases, drug and alcohol abuse can worsen the severity of sexual abuse, as substances may impair judgment and increase aggression. Hence, perpetrators of sexual abuse may also face charges related to substance abuse, in addition to being charged with domestic violence.

5. Financial Abuse

Financial abuse involves controlling or exploiting someone's finances to gain control and power over them. This manipulation of financial resources can significantly impact the victim's ability to make independent decisions, often creating a sense of dependency and vulnerability in the victim.



Financial abuse can extend beyond the immediate victim and it can affect their ability to provide for themselves and their dependents. Other forms of financial abuse include:

• spending money without consent
• restricting access to money
• withholding resources
• stealing money or property
• sabotaging employment
• coercing them to give up their financial independence
• limiting access to transportation or healthcare services
  

6. Social Abuse

Social abuse, also referred to sometimes as social manipulation, refers to a form of domestic violence where individuals use relationships or social dynamics to manipulate, control, or harm others. By hindering their social connections, victims are isolated from their support networks, making them more dependent on the abuser. This manipulation tactic reinforces the cycle of abuse and keeps the victim trapped in a state of emotional turmoil and dependency.

Examples of social abuse include:

• Cutting someone off from their social support networks, such as friends and family, to make them dependent solely on the abuser
• Spreading false or malicious information about someone to damage their reputation or relationships.
• Intentionally excluding someone from social activities, groups, or events to make them feel isolated.
• Humiliating or shaming someone in public or in front of others to undermine their confidence or self-esteem.
• Manipulating friendships, romantic partnerships, and familial ties to control someone's behaviour or actions.
• Manipulating reality by distorting facts or events to make someone doubt their own sanity.
• Social isolation or limiting contact with family and friends so the victim can't seek help or escape the abusive situation.
  

7. Elder Abuse and Child Abuse

With many elderly individuals and children lacking the ability to protect or speak up for themselves, they are vulnerable to many forms of domestic and family violence.



Elder abuse occurs when someone seeks to control or harm an elderly family member. Typically, the abuser is someone known and trusted by the elderly individual, such as a family member or caregiver. On the other hand, child abuse involves the mistreatment or neglect of children, often perpetrated by parents, guardians, or other caregivers who hold positions of trust and authority over them.

Both forms of domestic violence can have devastating physical, emotional, and psychological consequences for the victims, as children who witness domestic violence may suffer from emotional trauma and developmental issues. Furthermore, failing to provide adequate care for children and the elderly is also recognised as a form of family violence.

8. Spiritual Abuse

Spiritual abuse is a type of family violence which mocks someone's religious beliefs and cultural practices in order to intimidate them or prevent them from participating in a religion or cultural community.

Among other types of domestic and family violence, spiritual abuse can have profound effects on a person's sense of identity, independence, and self-esteem, as it impairs their connection to their beliefs and cultural heritage, leaving them feeling isolated and disempowered.



Spiritual abuse can manifest in different ways including:

• forcing someone to adhere to specific religious beliefs or practices against their will
• using religious teachings to justify controlling behaviour
• exploiting someone's spiritual beliefs for personal gain or manipulation
• isolating individuals from their religious or cultural community
• using threats of divine punishment to instil fear
• invalidating their spiritual experiences and convictions