Definition of Domestic Violence. The Associations accept the definition of Domestic Violence as stipulated in the Domestic Violence and Protection Orders Act, 2008 (ACT). The definition of domestic violence includes physical, sexual, financial, verbal or emotional abuse by a family member or former family member against a person or a child or relative of a person. Family member means spouse, de facto partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of the employee’s spouse or de facto partner.
Definition of Domestic Violence. In the absence of a single and universally agreed definition, numerous terms have been used to denote what is commonly referred to as ‘domestic violence’ (e.g. wife assault, wife battering, spousal assault, intimate partner violence and domestic abuse). For the purposes of this research study, the UK Home Office definition of domestic violence has been adopted to describe: “Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults (aged ≥18 years) who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. This includes issues of concern to black and minority ethnic communities such as so called 'honour' based violence, female genital mutilation and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group” (HomeOffice, 2005, p 7) The term ‘adults’ was amended to include males and females aged 16 years and above, in light of increasing evidence of a high prevalence of domestic violence among people aged 16-24 years of age (Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxx, et al, 2012). The above definition was selected because it captures the multidimensional nature of domestic violence (e.g. non-physical forms of abuse), and is one of the few descriptions to include violence perpetrated by intimate partners and family members (i.e. mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister and grandparents; directly-related, in-laws or step-family). The definition does not include specific wording about ‘coercive control’, which is considered by some scholars to be the defining feature of domestic violence (Xxxxxx, 2007; Xxxxxxxxx, 2008; Xxxxx, 2007); although, the types of behaviours that comprise ‘coercive control’ are contained within this definition (see section 1.2). Interestingly, in December 2011 the Home Office undertook a public consultation exercise to examine whether the definition should be changed, by lowering the age range to 16 years and above and including specific wording on coercive control (Home Office, 2011b, p 5). The results of this consultation have just been published and the definition is to be amended to include coercive control (i.e. an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten) and violence or abuse experienced by people aged 16 years and above (Home Office, 2012a).
