Domestic violence is often thought of as physical brutality, yet in definition it covers a broad range of abusive behaviors. Abuse affects individuals from all socioeconomic, racial, gender, and cultural backgrounds. Domestic Violence happens to people of all ages, ranging from children to the elderly population. 

The United States Department of Justice defines domestic violence as follows:

We define domestic violence as a pattern to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.