Gateshead Domestic Abuse Strategy 2025-28

Domestic Abuse can take many forms, including physical, emotional, economic and/or sexual abuse, as well as controlling and coercive behaviour.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 created a legal definition of domestic abuse:

• Behaviour of a person ("A") towards another person ("B") is "domestic abuse" if: (a) A and B are each aged 16 or over and are personally connected to each other, and (b) the behaviour is abusive.
• This includes physical, emotional, economic, sexual abuse and controlling and coercive behaviour.
• Personally connected' means: intimate partners, ex-partners, family members or individuals who share parental responsibility for a child.
• Part 1 of the Act also provides that a child who sees or hears, or experiences the effects of, domestic abuse and is related to or under parental responsibility of the person being abused or the perpetrator is also to be regarded as a victim of domestic abuse. This means that where the Act imposes a duty in relation to victims of domestic abuse, this will include children as described in Part 1.

We acknowledge that within the definition of domestic abuse, there are different experiences of abuse. These include intimate partner violence; adult family violence and abuse; so-called 'honour' based abuse; forced marriage; and child to parent violence and/or abuse where the child is aged 16 or over.

We recognise that domestic abuse disproportionately affects women and girls and is mostly perpetrated by men. However, anyone of any gender, sexuality or age can experience or perpetrate domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse is strongly associated with additional needs, such diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health conditions and use of drugs and/or alcohol. The prevalence of reported domestic abuse also has a strong connection with deprivation, although domestic abuse can affect anyone, and none of these factors may be present.