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Domestic and family violence is the repeated dominate people close to them. Their behaviour
use of violent, threatening, coercive or controlling causes people to fear for their own safety and
behaviour against a family member or someone sometimes for the safety of other family members,
the perpetrator has or previously had an intimate or pets.
relationship with, which may include carers.
It includes not only physical assault, but also other
This definition, from the Victorian code of practice behaviour that can be just as harmful.
for specialist family violence services for women It may include:
and children, has been endorsed by the Australian
Association of Social Workers. > Monitoring and limiting a person’s movements
and access to others.
Family violence happens to women, and less often
to men, from all cultures and walks of life. Most of- > Controlling a person’s access to money.
ten it involves men abusing their current or former > Verbal insults and abuse.
female partners, girlfriends or wives. > Damage to property.
> Threatening someone, or their children, pets,
Abuse can also occur in gay and lesbian relation- other family members or friends.
ships, or between parents and older children,
siblings or any other family members. People with > Preventing someone from practising their reli-
disabilities can be abused by carers, who may or gious beliefs or cultural practices.
may not be family members.
Because the violence is ongoing, it gradually un-
In Aboriginal and some other communities, the dermines the confidence of the person experienc-
definition of ‘family’ may include kinship groups ing it and their ability to leave the violent person.
and other community members. The severity and frequency of violence often esca-
lates over time.
The Family Violence Protection Act (Victoria) 2008 Any behaviour or action that constitutes family
defines family violence as behaviour towards a violence is unacceptable, even if it is not of a type
family member which is: physically or sexually which is currently a criminal offence.
abusive; emotionally or psychologically abusive;
economically abusive; threatening; coercive; or in
any other way controls or dominates a family mem- Breaching human rights
ber and causes them to feel fear for the safety or
well-being of themselves or another person. Family violence directly contravenes Australia’s
commitment to the United Nations Declaration of
The Act says a child is also a victim of the violence Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
if it hears, witnesses or is otherwise exposed to
(CEDAW), and the Rights of the Child.
such behaviour or its effects (e.g. a distressed
adult, an injured person, damage to property). As a signatory to CEDAW, all Australian
governments must continue to implement policies
What does family and domestic violence look like? and programs to eradicate discrimination in all its
People who inflict domestic and family violence forms, against all women.
assume they have the right to be in charge and
thelookout.org.au 1
Fact Sheet 1:
What is Family Violence