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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE


Domestic violence happens when one person hurts another person who is or was their partner or who is in the same family.
It can happen between people who are going out together, living together, have children together or are married to each other.
It can also happen between people who have a relationship but live separately. 

Domestic violence can also happen after a relationship has finished.

Although domestic violence happens mostly between adults, young people
can be affected by the abuse that they see and hear, and they can be
hurt as part of domestic violence between adults.

 What forms of violence can take place in a family setting?

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE:

  • when your parents or carers try to hurt or punish you because of something you did by insulting you, screaming at you, threatening you or    making you feel ashamed.

  • when your parents constantly forbid or prevent you from socialising with your friends or any other important person (for example, locking you inside your own house), and therefore prevent you from sharing your life with others or from having support and friendship from others.

PHYSICAL ABUSE:

  • when your parents or carers try to control, humiliate or punish you by using (or threatening to use) physical force or violence.

  • some examples of violence are: slapping you, punching or kicking you, hitting or throwing objects at you, tying or restraining you, biting or burning you.

SEXUAL ABUSE:

  • unwanted sexual comments or advances;
  • unwanted sexual touching (e.g. of your private parts);
  • being pressurised into performing sexual acts with others;
  • being made to participate in videos or photos involving sexual interaction and/or  exhibitionism (e.g. naked or sexual posing);
  • being made to watch something sexual (such as someone flashing or exposing themselves to you);
  • being forced or pressurised to have sex, including penetration of anus (bottom), vagina and/or mouth with body parts  (e.g. penis or fingers) or objects.

These acts can be performed under threats and intimidation, physical force or the threat of physical force.

WORK EXPLOITATION:

 when your parents or carers force you to perform tasks or activities that are clearly excessive or that should be performed by adults and that affect your performance at school.


NEGLIGENCE:

  • when your parents or carers do not take care of you and protect you, for example by neglecting your health care, hygiene, food provision and/or
    education.
  • when your parents or carers do not show interest in your problems and do not give you the affection and attention you need to feel loved and
    wanted.

BEING EXPOSED TO YOUR PARENTS' FIGHTS AND ARGUMENTS:

  • when you witness or become aware that, for example, your parents hurt each other physically or verbally.

REMEMBER

  • If your parents or other carers (for example, your grandparents
    or other relatives) display this type of behaviour, they are affecting
    your well-being and development. If this is happening, you have the
    right to ask for help. To know more, read Strategies to protect yourself.

It is important to be aware of the reactions and feelings associated with such an experience.

When this situation of violence takes place, it is usual: 

  • to find it difficult to believe and to accept that you are a victim of violence in your own home;
  • to feel embarrassed to tell others what is going on;
  • to feel guilty as we might think that, in some way, we are responsible for what is happening or that, if we had acted differently, nothing would have happened;
  • to feel afraid that the abuser finds out that we are seeking help from someone else or that we have told what is going on;
  • to not want to tell anyone what's happening as we do not want to split our family up or hurt the abuser;
  • to feel discouraged because we think that nobody is going to believe us or that, if we ask for help, nobody will be able to help us.

Estas são apenas algumas das reações que podem surgir quando se vive uma experiência como esta. Podem ter-se outras reações. 
Estas reações são naturais. São respostas do nosso corpo a uma experiência de vida que pode ser difícil e exigente.

Being a victim of violence at home can also have a negative effect on our self-esteem and in the way we see ourselves
(for example, some children and young people feel they are worthless or
that they have some negative characteristic that makes their parents or
carers abuse them).

It can become difficult to relate to others: it is natural to distance ourselves from friends and classmates at school and to avoid doing activities that we used to enjoy (for example, going out with friends).

It is also usual for children and young people who are victims of domestic violence to display problems at school: their grades can decrease as well as their attention in the classroom; they can feel less interested and motivated to study.

Physical symptoms associated with the violence can also emerge:

  • wounds and injuries (usual in cases of physical violence);
  • loss of appetite;
  • sleeping difficulties;
  • headaches, stomach aches, dizziness, feeling sick.


PLEASE NOTE!

These reactions and symptoms are a natural response to an experience that can threaten our well-being and personal safety. However, if some time has passed and you realize that you are feeling the same, it is important to get some help.


Remember that your parents, relatives or carers don’t have the right to hurt you.

If you are a victim of domestic violence:

  • Tell an adult you trust or a professional what is happening: a
    relative, a teacher, a school psychologist. These people can help you and advise you. Remember that: If you are at risk of being further harmed or abused, the professional will need to involve social services or the police in order to protect you.

  • There are organisations who can give you support and advice free of charge. You don’t need to make a report to the police. (See How and where can I get support? for more information).

  • Find a safe place in your house or try to go to a place where someone can protect you. 

  • In an emergency situation you can call 999. If you need to call for
    help, you should be able to state your name, your address and your parents’ name.


Victim Support Scotland

  • Victim Support Scotland can help you and your family.  Victim Support Scotland offers information, support and advice to help you deal with what has happened. They also offer support if you have to attend Court to give evidence.

  • You can contact Victim Support Scotland by looking in the phonebook or searching the website for your nearest office. Or you can phone their helpline

  • Helpline:  0845 603 9213

  • Website: www.victimsupportsco.org.uk

Victims of Crime in Scotland

Childline

  • Childline is a free and confidential 24 hour helpline for young people. Childline’s trained counsellors provide help, support and advice on a wide range of issues, including bullying, sexual abuse and domestic violence.

  • There are a number of ways you can contact Childline: by phone, email, 1-2-1 chat online. You can also take part in online discussion boards and get support from others who have been through similar experiences.  

  • Tel: 0800 11 11

  • Website: www.childline.org.uk

The Hideout

  • This website provides information to help young people understand domestic abuse and what to do if it is happening to you.

  • Website: www.thehideout.org.uk

 Should I report?


ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF CRIME OR WHO HAS WITNESSED A CRIME HAS THE RIGHT TO REPORT IT.
If you have been a victim of crime, it is strongly recommended that you report it to the police. Once reported, the likelihood of catching the person who committed the crime against you and stopping him/her from doing the same to others is much higher. If you want to report a crime in confidence, without identifying yourself, it is possible to report crime anonymously. See WHERE CAN I REPORT? (below) for more information on how you can report crime. You can also get support and advice on reporting crime from organisations such as Victim Support Scotland.


WHERE CAN I REPORT?

  • A crime can be reported by contacting the local police station and giving them information about what happened.

  • If you want to report a crime anonymously (without being identified) or give information about a crime, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. The call will never be traced and the person will not be required to give information in Court or give a full statement.


  • In some areas, if a racial or homophobic crime has taken place, it is possible to report the crime without going to a police station. This is called “Remote Reporting” or “Third Party Reporting”.
    This type of reporting allows you to report the crime to an
    organisation, who in turn will report it to the police. To find out
    which organisations in an area offers remote reporting facilities, you can contact local police force anonymously or have a look on the police force’s website.


     WHAT IS INVOLVED IN REPORTING A CRIME?


    Reporting a crime is free of charge.

    In any of the places where you can report a crime you will have to provide some information about what happened, what you have seen or heard:

    • the time and date of the crime;
    • the location of the event;
    • the description of what happened;
    • the description of the people involved (offender, if possible; victims; witnesses).

    The police will use this information to help them solve the crime and bring the perpetrator to justice.

    The person identified as the perpetrator of the crime may be notified and informed about the report made against them.

     WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A CRIME IS REPORTED?

    After the crime is reported an INVESTIGATION stage starts, during which the police will seek to gather all available evidence. This might require gathering more information from any victims and witnesses.

    • Victims and witnesses of crime will normally be asked to give the police a STATEMENT. This involves telling the police officer everything that happened or everything that was seen. This is important as it forms part of the evidence the police are collecting and helps them to decide whether a crime has been committed. The statement is a legal document, and may also be used during later stages of the investigation and
      prosecution (put an accused on trial) of the crime. For example, it may be used by the Crown Office and Procurators Fiscal Service (COPFS), (see
      information about this figures on about going to court) who can use it to decide whether it is likely the accused will be found guilty (convicted) of the crime. The statement can also be used as evidence in Court. For these reasons, it is important to make a statement only when you are ready and clear about what you want to say. After giving the statement, the police usually read it back to make sure it matches what the victim has said. If the victim agrees with the statement, they then have to sign it. Once this is done, the victim is given a crime reference number, which they can use later to get information from the police about the same case. 

    • If the crime is of a sensitive nature, such as a sexual crime, the victim can ask to be interviewed by an officer of the same sex. For example, if a female victim can ask to speak to a female police officer.


    After a victim or witness has been interviewed (that is, the police have taken the statement) they may not to hear from the police again for some time. If the victim or witness wants to know how their case is progressing, they can do so by contacting the police, quoting the crime reference number the police gave, which helps the police find the information more easily.

    If the police identify a person or people they think are responsible for the crime there are several things they can do. For example, they might decide to take no further action, give the offender a warning, order the offender to pay a fine, etc.

    In Scotland there are different ways of dealing with an accused person, depending on their age:

    If the accused person is a young person (under 16), and if there is enough evidence, they will usually be referred to the CHILDREN’S REPORTER who considers what action to take. 

    • The Children’s Reporter investigates the case to decide whether or not compulsory measures of intervention are needed to deal with the accused
      person. If compulsory intervention is required a Children’s Hearing will be held. A Children’s Hearing makes decisions on the issues and needs
      of the accused young person and how these issues can be addressed to prevent them offending again. 

    • Some cases may need to be considered by both the Children’s Reporter and the Procurator Fiscal together, to decide whether the case should be
      dealt with by a CHILDREN’S HEARING or by the formal criminal justice system. Usually, it is only the most serious crimes committed by young
      people that are dealt with by the formal criminal justice system and taken to Court.

    • In many cases the accused young person will be referred to the Children’s Reporter, who decides whether or not a Children’s Hearing is needed. A Children’s Hearing makes decisions on the issues and needs of the accused young person and how the issues can be addressed to prevent them offending again. 

    • Victims do not attend Children’s Hearings. 

    PLEASE NOTE:
    The Children’s Hearings System deals with children and young people in Scotland under the age of eighteen who are in need of help. There are two main reasons why the Children’s Hearings System will help a child or young person:

    • Because they are in need of care and protection.

    • Because they have got into trouble with the police (e.g. they committed a crime).

    You can learn more about this here.
     
    For more information you can also search on: Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration

    • Provides information about the Children’s Hearing.

    • Website: www.scra.gov.uk 

    If the accused person is an adult (over 16) and there is enough evidence, the police will report the crime to the Procurator Fiscal, who is responsible for the prosecution of crime in Scotland. 

    • They decide what should happen with each report received from the police. 

    • The Procurator Fiscal will review the case and, if there is enough evidence, they will put the accused on trial in Court.

    • The Procurator Fiscal may, however, decide there is not enough evidence, and take no further action (drop the case). 

    • In certain cases, the Procurator Fiscal may decide action is required, but that a trial is not appropriate. In these cases alternative actions can be taken: the offender may be given a warning, ordered to pay a fine, ordered to do unpaid work. 

    • If the Procurator Fiscal does decide put the accused on trial in Court, the victim may be interviewed by the Procurator Fiscal or the DEFENCE TEAM (the defence team is the team of people who represent and defend the accused person).  

    • Following this a date will be set for a TRIAL to take place. The trial takes place in a COURT. During the trial, the people present include: the accused, the Judge (known as a Sheriff in Scotland), the Procurator Fiscal (who presents the evidence against the accused and tries to prove that the accused is guilty of committing the crime), the Defence Lawyer (a lawyer who represents the accused and defends the accused in Court), as well as witnesses, which can include the victim. 

    • In the most serious cases, there will also be a JURY in the Court. The jury is a group of 15 men and women (jurors) who listen to the evidence and decide if the accused is guilty or not. 

    PLEASE NOTE:
    The Criminal Justice System takes legal action on matters involving crimes committed by someone over 16. However if a person under 16 is suspected of committing a very serious crime (such as murder or serious assault) they may be dealt with by the criminal justice system. The age of criminal responsibility in Scotland is eight years old. Children under eight cannot be referred to the Reporter or the Procurator Fiscal for offending.  You can read more about here.

    There are SPECIAL MEASURES available for young people who have to give evidence in Court. Special measures are different ways to help you give your evidence. These can include: giving evidence from another room through a television link; giving evidence from behind a screen in the Courtroom;
    having a support person with you when you; etc.  Take a look here for more details.

    After the trial the Judge or the Jury (depending on the case), takes a decision: either the person is convicted (found guilty) or acquitted (found not guilty, or not proven) of the crimes. 
    If the accused person is found guilty, the Judge will then decide on a suitable punishment for the offender. This might be a prison sentence (the Judge will decide on the length the offender must serve in prison). In other cases the offender may be given a community sentence (made to do unpaid work in the community) or they may be made to pay a fine or pay compensation (money) to the victim.

     WILL I HAVE TO GO TO COURT?

      • If the criminal case is taken to a Court with a Judge, you may be asked to attend and tell them everything you know. This is called giving your evidence.

      • Victims and witnesses do not attend Children’s Hearings. Sometimes the people making decisions at Children’s Hearings do not agree, or it might not be clear what happened. In these cases the case may need to go to a Court for another Hearing. If this happens, you might be asked to go to Court to tell them everything you know. This is called giving your evidence.

      • If you are to give evidence in Court, you will receive a letter (known as a citation). The letter will tell you the date, time and location you need to attend Court.

      • It is natural to feel very worried or afraid about going to Court. But there is lots of support available to help you through it. Victim Support Scotland have a Witness Service dedicated to giving help and support to people going to Court. They are part of Victim Support Scotland and are based in every Sheriff and High Court in Scotland. The Witness Service can answer general questions about what happens at Court and can also arrange a visit to the Court before the day of the trial, to get you familiar with the Courtroom setting so that you will know what to expect (See What support can I get? for more information). 

      Regardless of what you decided to do, you always have the right to be supported. Even if you decide to not report the crime, it is very important to
      talk to someone about what happened, how you are feeling and the help and support available. If you want to talk to someone before you make
      a decision to report, there are professionals and organisations who can inform, advise and support you. Search on how and where can I get support? for more information.

      No. Domestic violence includes not only violence between husband and wife, or between partners, but also many other forms (involving others)
      such as:

      • physical, verbal, sexual and psychological abuse against grandparents (by their children, children-in-law, or grandchildren, for example);

      • physical, verbal, sexual and psychological abuse against parents (by their children, for example);

      • physical, verbal, sexual and psychological abuse against children (by their parents, stepparents or grandparents, for example);

      • physical, verbal, sexual and psychological abuse between a couple who have split up;

      • seeing physical, verbal, sexual and psychological abuse happen to other relatives. 

      Yes. Domestic violence is a phenomenon that can affect any family regardless of social class or wealth. Despite what the media may lead you to believe, it is false to assume that domestic violence only affects deprived families. Domestic violence can affect anyone, rich or poor.

      Domestic violence can occur anywhere. The concept 'domestic' is usually associated to the 'home space’ and many situations of domestic violence
      do take place at home between people who live together. However, there are situations of violence taking place in other spaces (the street, for example) or involving people who do not live together (for example, a boyfriend and girlfriend) that are still domestic violence. That is why dating violence can be included in domestic violence crimes. 

      If you have seen or heard episodes of violence between your relatives, there are things you can do. If you try to protect the person being harmed you can be putting yourself at risk as the abuser might react violently  against you. So, if anything happens, the best thing to do is to seek another adult: another trusted relative living at your place or a neighbour. In an emergency you can call 999. You will need to state your name and address. The professional who answers your call will ask you to explain what is happening.

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