Taneesh Jain, BBA LLB (Hons.), Jindal Global Law School
“Domestic violence is not simply an argument. It is a pattern of coercive controls that one person exercises over another. Abusers use physical and sexual violence, threats, emotional insults and economic deprivation as a way to dominate their victims and get their way”.[1]
Introduction
As its name implies, domestic violence happens between members of a couple or other close connection. Harassment in the home can take various forms, including verbal, sexual, and physical aggression, as well as threats of harm. Any person can become a victim of domestic abuse, but women are disproportionately affected. Violence towards the intimate partner can occur in both same-sex and heterosexual partnerships.
Abusive relationships always feature a power differential between the two people involved. Abusers use threatening language and behaviour to gain power and control in relationships. Recognizing domestic violence might be difficult at first glance. Abuse in relationships might be blatantly obvious from the get-go, but more often than not it starts out little and gradually gets worse. If you are in a relationship with someone who doesn’t respect your feelings or violates your space without your consent, you may be a victim of domestic abuse. Psychological and emotional violence covers “repeated verbal abuse, harassment, confinement and deprivation of physical, financial and personal resources”.
[1] Wood, E. (2006). The Availability and Utility of Interdisciplinary Data on Elder Abuse: A White Paper for the National Centre on Elder Abuse Erica F. Wood American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging for the National Centre on Elder Abuse. [online] Available at: https://pjwa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Elder_Abuse_Report.pdf.
