Family violence is when someone close to you hurts you on purpose, such as:

• your partner, like your boyfriend or girlfriend
• someone who used to be your partner
• a member of your family
• someone who takes care of you
• someone you live with or used to live with.

There are many types of family violence.

For example, it includes physical violence.

Physical violence is when someone:

• hurts your body
• says they will hurt your body
• makes you think they will hurt your body.

It includes sexual violence.

Sexual violence is when someone:

• makes you do sexual things you do not want to do
• does something sexual to you that you do not want them to do.

It includes financial abuse.

Financial abuse is when someone: 

• takes your money when you don’t want them to
• stops you choosing how you spend your money
• makes you pay for other people's things.

It also includes emotional abuse.

Emotional abuse is when someone:

• says things to make you feel scared or bad about yourself
• makes you feel confused about what has happened to you
• controls what you do.

Anyone can experience family violence.

But we know women and children are more likely to experience family violence.

Family violence is never okay.