Understanding domestic violence and mental health

Domestic and family violence

Domestic violence, also called family violence, is a pattern of abusive behaviour in an intimate relationship or family relationship where one person assumes a position of power over another and causes fear. The abuser may use violence, threats, force or intimidation to control or manipulate the other person. 

Domestic violence is not always committed by a partner. It can also be committed by other family members, or by someone with whom you have a family-like relationship. It can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual identity, economic status, ethnicity and religion. However, some people are more likely to experience domestic violence, including women. 

Domestic violence can take many forms:

Physical abuse is when an abuser uses physical force against another person in a way that injures the person or puts them at risk of being injured. Examples include grabbing, hitting, stabbing, shooting, punching, burning, choking and shaking. Physical abuse also includes stopping a person from having what they need for their health, such as medication or medical care. 

Psychological or emotional abuse can be verbal or non-verbal. It can include behaviours such as constantly criticising or belittling another person, isolating a person from their friends or family, excessive checking up on a person, or threatening or intimidating a person to gain compliance. 

Sexual abuse is often linked to physical abuse. Some examples are any sexual contact without consent, attacks on the sexual body parts, forced prostitution, unwanted touching, forced sex with others and being denied contraception when you want to use it.

Economic abuse is making or attempting to make a person financially dependent. Examples include maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding money or credit cards, forbidding attendance at school or employment, or stealing from or defrauding a person of their money or assets.

Spiritual abuse includes using a person’s religious or spiritual beliefs to manipulate them, preventing a person from practising their religious or spiritual beliefs, ridiculing a person’s religious or spiritual beliefs, or forcing children to be reared in a faith that the partner has not agreed to.

Legal abuse is when a person exploits the family law system to intimidate, exhaust, exploit or disempower their partner or family member.

Stalking is also domestic violence. It is a pattern of unwanted contact that makes a person feel afraid, nervous, harassed or in danger. Stalking can occur in person or online. 

Domestic violence can affect anyone. And it’s not just physical violence. It includes behaviours like constantly criticising someone, isolating them from their friends and family, limiting their access to money or forcing them to have sex. 

Relationships between domestic violence and mental health

Domestic violence can negatively affect the mental health of victims, or other family members who witness it:

• It is a major risk factor affecting women’s health in Australia, resulting in anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. It can affect sleep, appetite, concentration or other relationships.
• Children who have grown up in a family with domestic violence have a higher risk of anxiety, depression, learning difficulties, relationship problems, and alcohol and drug misuse. They may also be more likely to become perpetrators or victims of domestic and family violence as adults.

Helping someone experiencing domestic violence

It is not always easy to tell if someone is experiencing domestic violence. Here are some things to look out for:

• excessive absence or lateness (especially on Mondays)
• a sudden or sustained drop in productivity
• frequent unexplained bruises or injuries
• wearing concealing clothing, even in warm weather
• frequent or unusual work breaks, or unusual start and finish times
• displaying anxiety
• appearing distracted, depressed or overly jumpy
• lack of concentration or difficulty making decisions
• inability to take work-related trips
• receiving excessive personal calls, texts or visits.

As an employer, there are several ways you can help someone in your organisation experiencing domestic violence.

Under the Fair Work Act 2009, employees dealing with domestic violence can:

• take 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave in a 12-month period (includes part-time and casual workers)
• request flexible working arrangements (e.g. different start and finish times, job sharing, a different work location, different duties)
• take paid or unpaid personal or carer’s leave, in some instances. 

A worker and employer can agree that the worker may take paid or unpaid leave to deal with the impact of family and domestic violence, in addition to the above entitlements.

Employers must take steps to ensure information concerning any notice or evidence a worker has given when taking family and domestic violence leave under the Fair Work Act is treated confidentially, as far as it is reasonably practicable to do so. Employers will also have other confidentiality obligations, e.g. under the Privacy Act 1988.

Here are some other things you can do to support people dealing with domestic violence:

• Establish policies and procedures to support workers experiencing domestic violence.
• Implement awareness-raising and education programs.
• Provide training for managers on helping workers experiencing domestic violence.

If someone you know tells you they are experiencing domestic violence, you can help by: 

• believing them and listening without judging
• suggesting they get help from a specialised domestic violence support agency by calling or visiting their website
• offering to go with the person if they meet with a support service 
• remaining patient with the person as domestic violence can be complex and challenging 
• keeping in touch with them to see how they are going.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can get help by calling 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).