Ms Caroline Counihan:

I would be inclined to frame it as broadly as possible through a definition which includes, but is not limited to, psychological, economic or career harm. It does not involve direct physical harm but can involve just about every other kind of damage to any other area of a person's life. In the context of intimate partner violence, the mechanism by which the harm is caused and the nature of the harm is sometimes entirely individual and personal. For instance, in a pattern of coercive control, an abuser will often know exactly what will drive his victim mad and distress her the most. Because he knows her situation, he knows exactly what to say to her boss to cause her untold problems at work. I am in favour of a broad definition. Abuse is very often individually tailored to the circumstances, particularly in a long-term abusive relationship. One cannot be too definite. We have to be broad.