The Massachusetts Department of Public Health defines domestic violence as:

''Abuse'', the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between family or household members:

(a) attempting to cause or causing physical harm;

(b) placing another in fear of imminent serious physical harm;

(c) causing another to engage involuntarily in sexual relations by force, threat or duress.

Ghandi defined abuse as “Any attempt to impose your will on another is an act of violence”.

At FCR, we believe:

Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviors and tactics used by one person over another to gain power and control.
Abuse may be verbal, financial, emotional, sexual and/or physical.
Domestic violence crosses all sociological populations including race, gender, class, and sexuality.

Most abuse is carried out by an intimate partner.

1 in 3 women will experience some form of domestic violence in their lifetime.

1 in 5 men will experience some form of domestic violence in their lifetime.

To understand more take a look at two Power and Control Wheels, then take a look at The Equality Wheel below.