Family violence refers to violence or the threat of violence between family members, including any behaviour that coerces or controls a family member or causes them to be fearful. Family members can be current or former intimate partners, children, and other relatives which can include extended family members and kinship relationships. Family violence is typically the preferred term for Aboriginal people, as it encompasses a broader definition of family, including kinship relations.
Domestic violence is a sub-set of family violence and typically refers to abusive behaviour between current and former partners. This behaviour generally includes a range of conduct to exercise power and control over their partner. Family and domestic violence can include multiple types of abuse including:
- threats of and actual physical violence
- threats of and actual sexual violence
- psychological and emotional abuse
- financial abuse
- coercive control.