Domestic violence follows a vicious cycle that often explodes in violence or other abuse. Afterward, the abuser is full of sadness and often promises: "It will never happen again."
Family violence is abuse or violence that occurs between intimate partners. An intimate partner relationship is a relationship with a spouse, common-law partner, boy/girlfriend, ex-boy/girlfriend, ex-common-law partner, ex-spouse or individual stalker (where stalker imagines the intimate relationship) of the same or opposite sex. It takes many different forms and includes physical abuse, mental and emotional abuse, sexual abuse, intimidation and threat. It involves the abuse of power and the betrayal of trust and crosses all socio-economic, religious and ethno-cultural boundaries. Some of the common terms used to describe intimate partner abuse are family violence, domestic abuse, spousal abuse, domestic violence and battery.
Domestic violence happens to people who are married, single, old, young, rich, poor, professional, blue-collar, unemployed, heterosexual, homosexual, drinkers and non-drinkers and of every ethnic and religious group. It could be happening to someone you know, someone you care about.
Everyone in our community has a role to play in ending domestic violence, so it's important to know the signs:
Some of the reasons why victims of emotional or physical abuse stay in abusive relationships are fear, low self-esteem, a sense of helplessness, economic dependence, or "for the children's sake."
The littlest victims
Sadly, children who are exposed to violence may grow up believing abuse is part of a normal relationship. As they learn what they live, many may grow up to be abusers or abuse victims themselves.
The littlest victims
