Mentaltorture

Psychological attacks by a partner or ex are illegal, just like physical abuse. Here are 11 red lines that shouldn’t be crossed in a relationship

ABUSIVE relationships are incredibly damaging to a victim’s physical and mental health. But the harm doesn’t just come from violent attacks. Psychological abuse is outlawed under legislation passed earlier this year – the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act. The law on so-called “revenge porn” was also toughened up in Scotland last year under the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm Act. This makes it easier to prosecute people who share intimate pictures of a partner or ex. Psychological abuse can take many forms – so here are 11 types of behaviour which could lead to an abusive or controlling partner being prosecuted.

SHARE EXPLICIT IMAGES OF YOU

New laws surrounding “revenge porn” make it illegal for someone to share intimate photographs of you with anyone, whether online or offline.

RESTRICT YOUR ACCESS TO MONEY

Depriving access to cash and making someone dependent on their partner can be abuse. Last year, domestic violence charity Refuge said they BY JENNA THOMPSON had seen cases where victims were forced to provide receipts for all spending or given such small allowances that they couldn’t afford to buy food for them and their children.

Such behaviour could be grounds for prosecution.

REPEATEDLY PUT YOU DOWN

Are you constantly insulted by your partner? You might not think this is domestic abuse but the new law says humiliating or degrading a partner is abusive behavour.

STOP YOU SEEING FRIENDS OR FAMILY

If your partner continually isolates you from the people that love you, alarm bells should ring.

Whether it takes the form of monitoring or blocking calls or emails, telling you where you can or cannot go, or stopping you seeing your friends or relatives, this behaviour is against the law.

SCARE YOU

Maybe they don’t physically assault you, but if they are doing enough to frighten you then they are committing an offence.

Women’s Aid say this can include – making angry gestures, using physical size to intimidate, shouting you down, destroying your possessions, punching walls, wielding a knife or a gun, threatening to kill or harm you and the children, threatening to kill or harm family pets and threats of suicide.

THREATEN TO REVEAL PRIVATE THINGS ABOUT YOU

Whether it’s saying they will tell people details about your health or sexual orientation, repeated threats to reveal personal and private information is a form of abuse.

TRACKING YOUR PHONE USE

Monitoring a person’s day-to-day activities can be considered abusive behaviour. So if they are spying on your Facebook messages or insisting they track your devices, they could be breaking the law.

EXTREME JEALOUSY

If your partner persistently accuses you of cheating simply for looking at another person, it could be grounds for prosecution.

MAKE YOU OBEY THEIR RULES

A relationship should be a partnership, with neither partner having control over the other. So if you are forced to abide by their rules, it can be abuse.

These can include rules which “humiliate, degrade or dehumanise the victim”, while Women’s Aid say examples include telling you that you have no choice in decisions.

CONTROL WHAT YOU WEAR

Controlling behaviour is highlighted in the new legislation. This includes who you can see, where you can go or even dictating what you wear.

FORCING YOU TO DO THINGS YOU DON’T WANT TO

It could be your partner is forcing you to commit crimes, neglect or abuse your children, or ordering you not to reveal anything about your relationship to the authorities – it all counts as abuse.

This also includes making you have sex when you don’t want to, forcing you to look at porn, or forcing you to have sex with others.