News Domestic Abuse To Be Re-defined In Uk

[Meadowsweet]

The Uk government has taken measures to re-define the term domestic abuse, to include psychological abuse.

I don't know if definition alone will bring understanding of this part of the abusive relationship. But it may help in the prosecutiion of sexual and physical abuse in the relationship.

But at the same time, if it's not well understood then it has the potential to be abused by bitter couples. And that could make genuine abuse even more slighted.

It would be interesting to hear what others think. Here's the article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19640257

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I wish they had this in the US. I think it is a fine idea. I took a anger management class and first learned that pulling out the phone cord was abuse. So I was a domestic violence victim and did not know it.

Things changed when I took a self defense course called Model Mugging. They warned family members to be gentle with us as we were learning a defense where the body remembers. My husband and I got in a fight and he pulled out the phone cord and tried to pin me down. I gave him a black eye. I opened the door and yelled out someone call 911! When the police got there they wanted to arrest me because he was the one with the black eye.

Luckily for me, my husband learned the error of his ways and never did press charges nor did he try to use physical strength and power and control over me. But I am happy they are doing it in the Uk. The US is behind in so many things. It was a great article. Thank you very much.

 

[anthony]

I'm with you MS... I think this is a slippery slope that can go good and bad, just as easily as one another. Basically, they're trying to now isolate psychological abuse, which could get very scary when talking severity.

 

[Meadowsweet]

Yes, it is a grey area. I think moments of psychological abuse alone could probably be picked up in most cases when a couple are splitting up or going through a bad patch. The same as grooming techniques are used by non-abusive people in relationships.

Another problem is that people with a history of abuse (like me) may experience others actions as being psychologically abusive, when another person in exactly the same situation might not see it that way - or might be able to lay down boundaries and simply say no to it.

But it is very difficult for people who've not been in abusive relationships to understand the psychological side. And I can well imagine how physical and especially sexual abuse is seen as being much milder (even asked for), when the psychological side of that abuse isn't taken into account.