The Home Office issued detailed guidance on what constitutes domestic abuse, how to identify it and best practices for responding to it, on 8 July 2022.

The statutory definition of domestic abuse, introduced in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, incorporates a range of abuse beyond physical violence, including controlling or coercive behaviour, emotional abuse, and economic abuse. The Act also recognises children who see, hear or experience domestic abuse as victims.

The Home Office’s new statutory guidance goes further to ensure that the complexity of domestic abuse is properly understood to support the victims and survivors, including children.

The guidance was developed in collaboration with experts from frontline services and domestic abuse organisations. Following the Act’s recognition of children as victims of domestic abuse, there is also further guidance on the impact of domestic abuse on children.

A full copy of the Home Office’s guidance on domestic abuse can be found here.

For further information and advice on this issue, and other family law issues, please contact us for a free initial consultation on 01992 306 616 or 0207 956 2740 or email us.