What is domestic abuse?

At Acorns we recognise that domestic abuse can take many forms. It may include, but is not limited to, physical, psychological, sexual, emotional or financial abuse, as well as threatening, controlling or coercive behaviour. It may occur in an isolated incident, or be part of a repeating pattern over many years. Although the majority of cases involve male perpetrators and female victims, domestic abuse may occur between current or past intimate partners or family members of any gender, sexuality, age, race, ethnicity, religion or status. In short, it can affect anyone and is highly damaging to physical and mental health. The government have made tackling it a priority but there is still work to be done on raising awareness of the impact of DV, breaking down stereotypes and giving victims a voice.