1 - What is domestic violence? Are there different types of violence? Domestic violence is any abusive, violent, coercive, coercive or threatening act inflicted by one member of a family or household on another. The Vaughn court summarizes domestic abuse as: Abuse by a family member inflicted on those who are weakest and least able to defend themselves - almost invariably a child or woman - is a violation of the most basic human right, of the most basic condition of civil society: the right to live in physical safety, free from the fear that brute force could determine the conditions of one's daily life. This violence can take the form of physical, verbal, emotional or sexual abuse. Vaughn Custody, 422 Mass. 590 (1996). Webster's Dictionary provides a broader definition of domestic violence; defines domestic violence as a pattern of behavior involving violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic context, such as in marriage or cohabitation. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is violence by one spouse or partner in an intimate relationship against the other spouse or partner. Domestic violence can occur in heterosexual and homosexual family relationships and can result in violence against some children who become passive and withdrawn, while others become angry and aggressive. These children live in constant fear that the abuser may become physically violent towards them. Additionally, children exposed to such abuse may also experience physical symptoms such as stomach pain, headache, bedwetting, loss of ability to concentrate, anxiety, and loss of appetite. These children are also at greater risk of experiencing alcohol and drug abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and juvenile delinquency.