What is domestic abuse?

Domestic abuse is a type of violence that happens in intimate relationships. It can happen between current or former spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends, dating partners, and family members. In Maryland, domestic abuse involves a pattern of coercive behavior that is used to gain power or control over another person in a relationship. This behavior can include physical acts such as hitting, pushing, choking, or restraining someone, or threatening to hurt or kill someone. It can also include emotional, sexual, and financial abuse such as verbal insults or threats, threatening to out someone’s sexual orientation, controlling someone’s access to money, or preventing them from seeing their own friends and family. It is important to remember that domestic abuse can also be one-sided and does not always involve physical violence. Though the abuser may not be physically violent, their words and actions can still be damaging and can cause the victim to feel scared or isolated. In Maryland, domestic abuse is taken seriously and has specific laws that are in place to protect victims. These laws provide for an Order of Protection that can be obtained if someone is in immediate danger. The Order of Protection can provide for a variety of things such as restraining the abuser from contacting the victim, ordering the abuser to stay away from the victim’s place of work or school, and granting the victim temporary custody of any children involved in the situation.

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What is domestic abuse?

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