Domestic Abuse Lingo & Terminology

Domestic and partner abuse and violence have lots of terminology and jargon. At AMIS, we refer to this type of behaviour as abuse and not violence. Violence is primarily associated with physical actions, whereas abuse includes emotional, financial, and other types of negative behaviour. 

• Abuse – any actions which cause harm to another person (see Types of Abuse)
• Abuser – a person who uses abuse to (attempt to) control another person
• Burnout – a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by a long-time involvement in emotionally demanding situations
• Casework – ongoing support to a victim of abuse 
• Coercion – attempting to or forcing another person to act differently
• Dating Abuse – abuse that occurs between people that are dating, often preferable by younger people 
• Domestic Abuse – abuse that occurs between people in an intimate, dating or family relationship
• Domestic violence – see ‘Domestic Abuse’; often only associated with physical abuse
• Financial Abuse – abuse that uses money to cause harm or control over another person
• Gaslighting – psychological abuse that makes the victim doubt themselves or abusive tactics
• Helpline – a free telephone service to provide support
• Intimidation – when one person uses threats to cause fear or coercion 
• Isolation – when one person uses friends, family and social networks to establish and maintain power by restricting contact
• LGBT+ Abuse – abuse towards or between someone in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community
• Partners – people that are in a romantic or sexual relationship
• Partner Abuse – see ‘Domestic Abuse’
• Perpetrator – a person carrying out abusive behaviours
• Physical Abuse – abuse that causes harm to another person’s self
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – a psychological disorder that can occur in an individual after suffering a traumatic even 
• Refuge – a sheltered place to live when leaving an abusive home
• Safety Plan – a plan a victim of domestic abuse creates to minimise or prevent further abuse
• Sexual Abuse – abuse that involves using sexual acts or related behaviours to establish and maintain power 
• Sexual Assault – unwanted sexual activity forced on one person by another
• Spiritual/Religious Abuse – abuse that uses spirituality or religion to develop and maintain power
• Survivor – a person who has experienced abuse
• Stalking – when one person pursues, follows or harasses another person against their wishes
• Threats – an expression to cause harm, pain or injury to another person
• Trauma – experiencing an event that causes damage or stress to a person’s physical or psychological self
• Verbal Abuse – abuse that uses words to establish and maintain power and control
• Victim – a person who is abused, harmed or killed by another person

This material has been created in collaboration with material from the NCDSV.