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forms of violence

Domestic violence has a scientific definition. It refers to ‘all acts of physical, sexual, psychological, (social) or economic violence that occur within the family or household or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with the victim.’[1] Victims must be aware of domestic violence in order to recognise it. We distinguish between:

[1] Istanbul Convention 2018, Art. 3 (b)

  • Quarrels occur in every relationship and friendship. However, psychological violence is more intense and occurs more frequently. If, for example, you are shouted at, belittled, intimidated, insulted, shamed, ridiculed in front of others or threatened, you are experiencing psychological violence. This also includes situations in which you cannot please the person. Even if the person threatens to harm you, your children, other people close to you, your pet or themselves.

  • If a person keeps you away from your friends or family, if the person controls you when you meet other people or leave the house, if you are not allowed to manage your own money, if the person reads your mobile phone or your mail without asking, follows you, spies on you or lies in wait for you, then you experience controlling behaviour as an act of violence.

  • You are affected by digital violence if, for example,

    • personal information about you,

    • bad rumours, or intimate or embarrassing pictures/videos of you are spread by the other person on the internet (e.g. via Facebook, x, Instagram, tiktok or Whatsapp).

    • If someone is monitoring you, e.g. using location apps on your mobile phone

    • if you are being threatened, blackmailed or intimidated through text messages, e-mails or phone calls

    • or if you feel harassed by constant and unwanted phone calls or text messages from one or more people.

  • You experience physical violence when you are intentionally injured, for example, when you are pushed, slapped, scratched, beaten, kicked, choked, tied up, locked in, poisoned, scalded or injured with a weapon.

  • Sexualised violence is

    • when you are made lewd remarks

    • or touched with sexual intent, even though you have said or shown that you do not want this,

    • or when you are coerced into sexual acts, forced into oral, anal or genital intercourse or forced to do so by force.

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    Sexualised violence also means being forced into prostitution, into taking pornographic pictures or films or into sexual practices.

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