Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic violence is any form of violent or abusive behaviour that happens in intimate relationships (marriage, common law, family, dating, friends) or after such a relationship ends.
Domestic violence can also occur in situations where one family member has sponsored another family member to immigrate to Canada. The issues around domestic violence in this kind of a relationship can be very complex.
Being in a relationship does not give anyone the right to be violent. Incidents of violence or abuse can happen once or many times during the relationship and after the relationship ends. Signs of violence or abuse include:
physical violence (hitting, shoving, restraining, slapping)
stalking or threatening
sexual abuse
controlling or intimidation (hurting or threatening to hurt a pet, threatening to hurt someone else, threatening to commit suicide, destroying property or stealing money, neglect, exploitation or financial deprivation)
mental abuse (put downs, name-calling, insults, rejection, belittling, isolation)