What is domestic violence?
Q: What is domestic violence?
A: Domestic violence is when one or both partners in a relationship or marriage use physical, sexual, or psychological violence to gain power and control over the other partner or due to losing their temper.
Q: Does domestic violence occur in all types of relationships?
A: Yes, domestic violence can occur in heterosexual and same-sex relationships.
Q: Is there usually a pattern of abuse in these situations?
A: Yes, there is often a predictable pattern or cycle of violence in a relationship and the abuse tends to get worse over time.
Q: Are there laws that protect victims of domestic violence?
A: In most countries, laws exist to protect the victim of such violent acts. There are also organisations that can help in such situations.
Q: How many cases of domestic violence get reported?
A: Estimates say that only a third of domestic violence cases (or even less) get reported to the authorities.
Q: Are mental disorders common among those who use violent against their partners?
A: Yes, many people who use violence against their partners have mental disorders, especially antisocial personality disorder and borderline personality disorder.
