This section is for young people who are concerned about domestic abuse.
It may be something that is happening in your life, or to someone that you know and care about. Or maybe it is something you want to understand better.
The facts about domestic abuse aren’t easy reading, but it can affect anyone. Many young people grow up seeing a parent being hurt or living in fear and may be victims themselves. It doesn’t just happen at home. Domestic abuse also includes abuse by other relatives, boyfriends, girlfriends or ex-partners. If it is happening in your life, it probably means you are living with a lot of stress, fear, anger, sadness or guilt.
What Is Domestic Abuse?
How Can I Keep Safe?
It is not your fault
Taking Care of Yourself
Young People & Dating
FAQs
What is Domestic Violence & Abuse
Domestic abuse (or fighting/hurting) is when abuse or violence is used by one person to hurt, bully, or control another person in a relationship.
- Domestic Abuse can happen in any relationship, Domestic abuse is more often used by men against women, but it can also be used by women against men. It can also happen in same sex relationships between gay or lesbian couples
- Domestic abuse can happen in relationships where couples are married, living together, going out with each other or even living apart.
- It is often a pattern that starts early in a relationship and gets worse over time.
- Domestic Abuse can take many forms
- Physical: A grown up may, hit, punch, push, hair-pull, shake, kick another grown up?
- Emotional: A grown up may put down, curse or criticise, call names or threaten another grown up?
- Financial: A grown up may not be allowed have any money or go to work?
- Sexual: If someone is being forced to have sex at times or in ways you do not want to, being raped.
- A grown up sending hundreds of text message wanting to know where another grown up is?
Your Rights
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (which Ireland signed up to in 1992) provides many rights to all children and young people. It declares:
- To be protected and live free violence, abuse or harm.
- To be brought up by your parents in a family, unless it is not in your interests.
- To express your views and to have them taken into account in matters affecting you.
- To have decision affecting you made in your best interest.
- To be treated with dignity and respect.
- To be free from discrimination.
This Me2U poster was created by children and young people who have lived with domestic violence and abuse. It shares their advice for other children and young people living with domestic violence and abuse.
