What is violence?

Home: Survivors: Family Violence: Violence against women

There are many different forms of violence.

All types of violence verbal, emotional and physical can be dangerous and are against the law. This is why it is important to address any situation of violence that you may be experiencing.

Below are some examples of different forms of violence:

• physical, for example, hitting, kicking, slapping, punching, choking, hair pulling, throwing things or other forms of physical assault
• using or threatening to use weapons such as knives or guns
• threatening to hurt or kill a partner, the children or others in a household
• verbal, for example, swearing, telling a woman she is useless, ugly or a whore
• emotional, for example, threatening to take the children away, damaging or threatening to damage property, humiliation or telling a woman that she would not be able to survive without him
• sexual, for example, incest or forcing a partner to have sex or to do sexual things she does not want to do
• social, keeping a woman away from her family and friends, not letting her leave the house, insulting her in public
• financial, for example, keeping a woman totally dependent, not giving her enough money to buy things for the household or buy things for her basic needs
• stalking, for example, repeatedly following, telephoning or sending things to someone with the intention to harm or scare them.

Since January 1995 a new offence has been included in the Crimes Act. This is stalking.

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Disclaimer Copyright Updated: 2 Jul 2003