A statutory definition of domestic abuse was introduced in the Domestic Abuse Act, 2021. It is defined as:
Abusive behaviour between two people who are each aged 16 or over and are personally connected to each other.
Behaviour is ‘abusive’ if it consists of any of the following:
- physical or sexual abuse
- violent or threatening behaviour
- controlling or coercive behaviour
- economic abuse
- psychological or emotional abuse
Two people are ‘personally connected’ to each other if any of the following applies. They are or have been:
- in an intimate personal relationship with each other
- married or civil partners to each other
- involved in an agreement to marry or enter into a civil partnership with one another
- formerly or currently in a parental relationship in relation to the same child
- relatives or family members