PART 1

Definition of “domestic abuse”

Children as victims of domestic abuse
3
1
This section applies where behaviour of a person (“A”) towards another person (“B”) is domestic abuse.
2
Any reference in this Act to a victim of domestic abuse includes a reference to a child who—
a
sees or hears, or experiences the effects of, the abuse, and
b
is related to A or B.
3
A child is related to a person for the purposes of subsection (2) if—
a
the person is a parent of, or has parental responsibility for, the child, or
b
the child and the person are relatives.
4
In this section—
- “child” means a person under the age of 18 years;
- “parental responsibility” has the same meaning as in the Children Act 1989 (see section 3 of that Act);
- “relative” has the meaning given by section 63(1) of the Family Law Act 1996.
S. 3 in force at 1.10.2021 for specified purposes by S.I. 2021/1038, reg. 2(c)
S. 3 in force at 1.11.2021 for specified purposes by S.I. 2021/1038, reg. 3(a)
S. 3 in force at 31.1.2022 in so far as not already in force by S.I. 2022/73, reg. 2