Recognize the Signs
To stop family violence, we need to recognize the many forms it takes and learn how to recognize the signs.
What is Family Violence?
Family violence is any form of abuse or neglect in a family or trusting relationship where people rely or depend on each other. It can happen to anyone, at any age, regardless of their social, educational, or financial status. Family violence exists across all ethnicities, cultures, religions and sexual orientations.
Violence can happen between anyone in a family or in a close intimate relationship, including children, parents, guardians, grandparents, siblings, extended family, and intimate partners – in both opposite sex and same-sex relationships.
When someone experiences family violence, their well-being, security and survival are threatened.
Family Violence Can Take Many Forms:
Physical Abuse
Emotional or Psychological Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Financial Abuse
Spiritual or Cultural Abuse
Digital or Technological Abuse
Domestic abuse affects each person differently, but it impacts everyone both physically and psychologically.
It's often an aggregate of related signs of domestic abuse that tip someone off that a person is at risk.
Whether it is physical, emotional or takes some other form, abuse often escalates and abusive behaviours worsen over time.
Recognizing the Signs of Family Violence
Domestic violence does not always look the same. While some of the signs of abuse, such as physical marks, may be easy to identify. Others may be things easily explained away or overlooked – it could be a friend frequently cancelling plans or skipping regular activities.
It can be difficult to acknowledge that someone you care about is in an abusive relationship, but there are warning signs that may indicate if someone is in an abusive relationship.
Physical Signs of Abuse (exhibited by the Victim)
If someone is being physically abused, they will likely have frequent bruises or physical injuries consistent with being hit or knocked down and may have explanations for their injuries that are weak or inconsistent.
Other Signs of Physical Abuse:
Emotional Signs of Abuse
Domestic abuse can take a serious emotional toll, creating a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, or despair.
The victim may feel they will never escape control of their abuser and live in a constant state of anxiety.
Other Signs of Emotional Abuse:
How Abuse Causes Changes in Behaviour
If someone you care about starts exhibiting different behaviours such as becoming quiet and withdrawn when they were once cheerful and social, they may be experiencing family violence.
Some examples of changes in behaviour that you should look for are:
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Becomes reserved and distant
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Isolates themselves by cutting off contacts with friends and family
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Cancels appointments or meetings at the last minute
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Drops out of activities they usually enjoy
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Exhibits excessive privacy concerning their personal life or relationships
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Is often late to work or other appointments
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Starts abusing alcohol or drugs
24-hour information and referral line connecting you to social, health and government services.