Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse is socially unacceptable. Everyone deserves to, and should, live without fear. There is no excuse.

Domestic abuse can take many different forms: physical, emotional and psychological, sexual, financial and economic, coercive control, forced marriage, honour-based abuse and stalking. Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity. Domestic abuse can happen in intimate partner relationships but also between family members.

In Hartlepool, we are committed to reducing and preventing domestic abuse and the purpose of this information is to provide advice, support and guidance to anyone impacted by domestic abuse. There is also further information on our statutory duties under the Domestic Abuse Act as well as information for professionals.

The Domestic Abuse Act (2021) provided a legal definition of domestic abuse.

Behaviour of a person (“A”) towards another person (“B”) is “domestic abuse” if:

A and B are each aged 16 or over and are personally connected to each other, and the behaviour is abusive. Behaviour is “abusive” if it consists of any of the following

• physical or sexual abuse;
• violent or threatening behaviour;
• controlling or coercive behaviour;
• economic abuse;
• psychological, emotional or other abuse;

and it does not matter whether the behaviour consists of a single incident or a course of conduct.

Two people are “personally connected” to each other if any of the following applies:

• They are, or have been, married to each other.
• They are, or have been, civil partners of each other.
• They have agreed to marry one another (whether or not the agreement has been terminated).
• They have entered into a civil partnership agreement (whether or not the agreement has been terminated).
• They are, or have been, in an intimate personal relationship with each other.
• They each have, or there has been a time when they each have had, a parental relationship in relation to the same child.
• They are relatives.

The Domestic Abuse Act now recognises children as victims of domestic abuse where the child:

• sees or hears, or experiences the effects of, the abuse, and
• is related to A or B.

Domestic Abuse is everyone’s business. If someone is in immediate danger, always call 999.