May is Family and Domestic Abuse Awareness month and once again we discuss this important subject with Dr. Ahona Guha and Dr. Manjula O’Connor.
If you live in Australia and are in danger please call 000 – Police for immediate assistance; 1800RESPECT; 1800007339 – Women’s Domestic Abuse Helpline; The Orange Door (various locations); 131114 – Lifeline.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare describes Domestic violence as a type of family violence that occurs specifically between current or former intimate partners. Both family violence and domestic violence include various behaviours:
- physical violence (hitting, choking, use of weapons)
- emotional abuse, also known as psychological abuse (intimidating, humiliating)
- coercive control (controlling access to finances, monitoring movements, isolating from friends and family). Sexual violence covers sexual behaviours carried out against a person’s will. This can occur in the context of family or domestic violence or be perpetrated by other people known to the victim or by strangers (ABS 2017b).
Some stats from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
- 1 in 6 women (17%) have experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or previous partner since the age of 15
- 1 in 4 women have experienced emotional abuse by a current or previous partner since the age of 15
- 1 in 5 women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15 https://www.aihw.gov.au/…/family-do…