Domestic violence is nowadays defined as any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.

In 1971 Erin Pizzey (who started the first domestic violence shelter in the modern world) wrote ‘scream quietly or the neighbours will hear', a book documenting the experiences of battered women. (1)

Domestic violence is nowadays defined as any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to:

Psychological
Physical
Sexual
Financial
Emotional (2)

Research shows that domestic violence can be reciprocal, and that women are as equally capable of violence as men, but that it is a deeply cultural gender issue which disproportionately affects women and children. (3–6)

Notes

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_Pizzey/
2. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-violence-and-abuse
3. Global and regional estimates of violence against women. Prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. World Health Organization 2013. http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/9789241564625/en/
4. Intimate personal violence and partner abuse. Office for National Statistics 11 February 2016. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/compendium/focusonviolentcrimeandsexualoffences/yearendingmarch2015/chapter4intimatepersonalviolenceandpartnerabuse
5. Violence Against Women and Girls Crime Report. Crown Prosecution Service September 2016. https://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/equality/vaw/
6. The Casey Review: a review into opportunity and integration Dame Louise Casey DBE CB December 2016. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-casey-review-a-review-into-opportunity-and-integration/

Resources

UK Government Domestic Violence Guidance
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-violence-and-abuse

Global and regional estimates of violence against women.
Prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. World Health Organization 2013.
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/9789241564625/en

Intimate personal violence and partner abuse.
Office for National Statistics, 11 February 2016.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/compendium/focusonviolentcrimeandsexualoffences/yearendingmarch2015/chapter4intimatepersonalviolenceandpartnerabuse

Violence Against Women and Girls Crime Report
Crown Prosecution Service September 2016. 
https://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/equality/vaw/
  
The Casey Review
A review into opportunity and integration Dame Louise Casey DBE CB December 2016.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-casey-review-a-review-into-opportunity-and-integration/

 You can view more of Lidia Lidia’s work at lidialidia.com