Statutory and Behavioral Definitions
Domestic violence refers to a wide variety of behaviors used by individuals, to exert power and control over their intimate partners or former partners. Victims can be male or female and perpetrators can be of either sex as well.* Domestic violence includes physical and sexual assault, behaviors which are criminal and can be reported to police and prosecuted in the courts.

But not all abuse is physical. Abuse also includes psychological abuse, emotional abuse, economic/financial abuse, legal abuse, threats to and about children, using “male privilege,” intimidation, isolation, coercion, financial control, and many other behaviors which, while not criminal acts, do reinforce control over the victim.

While many of the actions described above are also committed by strangers, domestic violence is distinguished from battering by strangers in that the abuse is a pattern of conduct, as opposed to isolated events, and abusers are family members or intimate friends.

 
* Although women may abuse their partners, it is estimated by FBI reports that between 90-95% of victims of domestic violence are women. Same sex domestic violence in lesbian and gay couples is also a recognized problem. For the purpose of this manual, however, we will define perpetrators as men and victims as women.