Domestic violence is about someone gaining power and control over another person.
It can include:
- Verbal threats
- Harassment
- Physical violence
- Financial control
- Humiliation
- Rape or sexual assault
- Controlling and aggressive behaviour
- Psychological abuse
- Excessive possessiveness
- Forced marriage.
Domestic violence usually follows a pattern, where the abuser says they will not be violent again or the behaviour will not happen again. But it usually does. And it often gets worse and more frequent. It's a cycle of abuse
if a partner, ex-partner or family member is abusing you, there are three main things that you can do:.
- Recognise it is happening to you
- See that it is not your fault
- Get help and support
About Domestic and sexual violence
- Domestic assault accounts for 16% of violent crime.
- Domestic assaults rose by 31% between 2006/7 and 2007/8
- High rates of 'repeat victimisation' – 38% of people are victims of domestic violence more than once
- The majority of victims are female and almost one third of victims are between 18 and 24 years.
For more help if you are are experiencing, or trying to escape from domestic and sexual violence please see the Family Justice Centre page.
What are Derby Community Safety Partnership going to do?
- Reduce the level and seriousness of domestic and sexual violence
- Reduce repeat incidents of domestic violence
- Work to prevent domestic and sexual violence-related murder
- Increase the number of victims who go on with criniminal prosecutions.
How are we going to do it?
We will ..
- Continue to provide support to male and female victims of domestic and sexual violence through criminal and civil proceedings
- Make sure we continue to have excellent working relationships with all local statutory and voluntary agencies – such as the Police, housing services and voluntary groups
- Work closely with Derbyshire Police to identify and support the most high-risk victims of domestic violence
- Run publicity campaigns targeted at potential ‘perpetrators’, potential victims and the general public.
As well as continuing with this work, we will be developing new ways of providing services to those most at risk of violence including ‘honour-based’ violence, stalking and harassment.