What is an unhealthy relationship?
If you, or someone you know, have experienced a relationship where the other person is controlling, manipulative, abusive, or violent, this is an unhealthy relationship and is defined as domestic abuse.
An unhealthy relationship can be between anyone who is in a relationship, whether that is between people who are dating, people who are longer term partners, husband and wife, siblings or any other family relationship.
You don’t have to live together and it doesn’t matter what age you are. The perpetrators of domestic abuse can be both women and men.
There are many people in Cheshire who are living with unhealthy relationships. A survey found that nearly four out of five people in Cheshire have experienced domestic abuse, or know someone who has. You can read some of the stories from local people.
Of the people surveyed, 97% identified abuse as physical violence, controlling behaviour and emotional abuse. But, abuse can be much wider than that…
Domestic abuse is any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse within any relationship. It includes:
- physical abuse
- emotional abuse
- psychological abuse
- sexual abuse
- financial abuse – e.g. withholding or restricting access to your money
- controlling behaviour
- coercive behaviour
- honour-based abuse
- forced marriage
You may be feeling frightened, isolated, ashamed or confused but please don’t suffer in silence, find free support.
You can also find out what happens when you contact local domestic abuse services, and what happens when you contact the police.
If you have concerns about a relationship, you can formally apply for a police check into a person’s background. Find out more about the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, known as Clare’s Law.