11 forms of domestic abuse which do not involve physical violence
20.01.2022 - 03:31
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A change to the law in recent years means psychological abuse within a relationship is illegal.
The offence of coercive control now recognises that domestic violence can take on several forms and is not strictly limited to physical attacks.
The changes outlaw a number of things that were not previously covered by existing legislation, meaning that emotional abuse of a partner is now illegal, North Wales Live reports.
Coercive control is considered the psychological abuse of a partner, which can be committed via threats or restrictions, as well as physical violence, and can amount to a sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine or both.
The law was amended to include behaviour that could not easily be convicted using the existing criminal law.
The laws are now enforceable in England and Wales, with the amendments making the following 11 acts towards a partner illegal.
1. Share sexually explicit images of you – either online or not
New laws surrounding "revenge porn" make it illegal for someone to share intimate photographs of you with anyone, whether that is on or offline.
It is illegal for someone to share intimate photographs of you with anyone else.
2. Restrict your access to money
Even if they are the breadwinner, the law says one partner cannot stop the other from accessing money and should not give them "punitive allowances".
3. Repeatedly put you down
Constant insults from a partner might not be typically thought of as domestic abuse, but under the new law, persistent name-calling, mocking and other forms of insulting behaviour are now illegal.
4. Stop you seeing friends or family
If your partner continually isolates you from the people you love - whether this is in the form of monitoring or blocking your calls or