Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is never okay, however, sadly, we see a lot of clients who are dealing with the emotional, financial, and sometimes physical effects of domestic and family violence as they separate from their partner.
Domestic Violence is when one person behaves in a way that controls or dominates another person and causes fear for their safety and wellbeing. At every stage, we are here to support you, so you can find the strength for your new-found freedom. You do not have to do it alone, let the Freedom Family Law team help.
Domestic Violence is usually a pattern of abusive and controlling behaviour that can take many forms. It can happen in many kinds of relationships, including intimate, family, or informal care relationships.
Regardless of your age, culture, sexuality or gender identity, you have the right to live without fear.
Behaviours Associated With Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence includes a wide range of behaviours that control or dominate someone or cause them to fear for their personal safety or wellbeing.
These behaviours may include:
Physical or sexual abuse: punching, hitting, choking, or threatening to punch or hit, forcing a person to participate in sexual acts, damaging someone’s property or threatening to damage property, including hurting or threatening to hurt pets;
Emotional or psychological abuse: stalking, repeated text messaging, making insulting comments, calling someone names, blackmailing or extorting, preventing contact with family and/or friends, controlling someone’s appearance, putting them down, threatening to expose their sexual orientation;
Economic abuse: denying, withholding, controlling or misusing money or property, or threatening to do so;
Threatening behaviour: saying things or acting in a way to make someone feel afraid, threatening to commit suicide or self-harm, stalking;
Coercive behaviour: forcing, intimidating or manipulating a person to do things they don’t want to do, such as sign a contract (e.g. for a loan), or a legal document giving another person power over their affairs (e.g. Power of Attorney).
Domestic Violence Can Occur in All Kinds of Relationships
Domestic Violence includes a wide range of behaviours that control or dominate someone or cause them to fear for their personal safety or wellbeing.
Violence is considered Domestic Violence when any of the behaviours listed above take place in any of these relationships:
An intimate personal relationship: two people (regardless of gender) who are, or were, a couple, engaged, married, in a de facto relationship, the parents of a child or in a registered relationship (a legally recognised relationship between two people regardless of gender;
A family relationship: two relatives (by marriage or blood), including a child over 18 years old, parent, step-child, step-parent, brother, sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, and for some community groups, a person who is not related by blood or marriage but is considered a relative;
An informal care relationship: one person who is, or was, depending on another person for help with daily living activities. (Note: It is not considered ‘Domestic’ Violence when a person is a paid carer under a commercial arrangement).
There is Support Available
- If you need urgent help, call the Police on 000. Read other ways to contact the Police.
- If you need non-urgent advice regarding Domestic Violence, call our office or book an obligation-free consultation.
- If you need housing in a women’s refuge, call 1800 811 811
- If you need housing in a men’s refuge, call (07) 5447 1184
Your passionate team of family lawyers
Let’s work out your next steps together. Book your free consultation to start the process.
Or call us on 1300 365 108