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Domestic violence is physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse. It is also harrassment. It can happen between adults and young people who are, or have been intimate partners or family members, and regardless of their gender or sexuality.

Physical abuse

This when someone hurts a child or young person on purpose. There are many forms of physical abuse. The most common includes:

•Hitting
•Punching
•Shaking
•Throwing
•Poisoning
•Burning
•Scalding
•Drowning
•Suffocating
•Making a child ill.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is when someone under the age of 16 is told, asked or forced to take part in sexual activities. It does not matter if they know what is happening, or not. There are different ways in which a young person can be sexually abused. Some examples are:

•Rape
•Making them touchselves or someone else's private parts
•Involving them in the making of films, videos or DVDs or taking photos and videos on mobile phones that involve sexual activity
• Making them watch sexual behaviour or
•Making them do sexual things either to themselves or with other people.
•Being spoken to in a sexually degrading way

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse happens in many different ways. It can affect how a young person or child sees themselves; how they feel they fit in with their friends, schoolmates and where they live.

Examples of emotional abuse are:

•Being constantly told they are wrong or not good enough
•Being unfairly blamed for everything all the time
•Told that they are stupid
•Made to feel unhappy
•Being called nasty names
•Being told they should never have been born
•Being told to do tasks they are not old enough or can not really do
•Seeing or hearing someone from home being hurt by another member of the family (domestic violence)
•Being bullied
•Being made to feel frightened or in danger.
•Being over protected, like not being allowed to ever play or go out

Neglect

Neglect is when a child or young person is not being looked after properly and his/her very basic needs are not met. This could result in their health or growth being damaged. These 'very basic needs' include:

•Food
•Shelter (a safe place to stay/roof over your head)
•Safety in the home
•Not being left alone in dangerous situations
•Proper clothing
•Good cleanliness (being allowed to wash/bath often enough)
•Being kept warm
•More help for vulnerable children
•Medical treatment if necessary
•Protection from physical and emotional harm or danger

If you, or you know of someone, that is being abused, then please tell someone.
Wandsworth - Safeguarding kids

Having a disability

Sadly those who are disabled face a higher risk of being abused physically or sexually especially if they are not able to defend themselves. The perpetrator is likely to be a caregiver, i.e. parents, siblings, or partner. Abuse can take many forms such as intimidation, taking away personal items, putting the person down or verbal/physical abuse.
Tel: 0131 558 5200

Being lesbian, gay or bisexual

Young adults who are lesbian or gay are at a disadvantage.
Not being understood by their peers, they sometimes feel singled out. Cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds can have tremendous impact on a young person’s life and often not being able to talk to an adult or even their peers can lead to violent behaviour.
www.mankinduk.co.uk
www.broken-rainbow.org.uk
secretary@schools-out.org.uk

Cultural beliefs

Cultural, ethnic, and religious beliefs can lead to young adults making inappropriate choices. Young adults are told to remain in an abusive relationship because the violence is perceived as love. For example “He hits you only because he loves you.” In this case the pressure is placed on the female to remain in a violent relationship and no one outside the unit should interfere. Pressure is placed upon the victim not to disclose the violence that can be either physical or sexual or both. A young adult could feel trapped because he or she sees no way out. Submission to the abuse or suicide is often the outcome.

Contact: National Domestic Violence 24 hr Helpline
Tel: 0808 2000 247