Verbal assault
Verbal assault is the use of threatening, abusive, intimidating or insulting language which is likely to cause fear, harassment, alarm or distress or which aims to provoke violence.
Physical assault
Physical assault is when an individual or a group attacks a person physically, with or without the use of a weapon, or threatens to hurt that person. It can include scratching, pushing, kicking, punching, throwing things, using weapons or physically restraining another person.
It is an act that intentionally causes physical harm or offensive contact, or threatens to or attempts to cause such harm; for instance a threat to harm which indicates an ability to carry out the harm.
Physical assault can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, age or any other characteristic. However, if the assault was motivated by hostility towards a person or group due to a protected characteristic, that is considered a hate crime.
Physical assault within relationships, or between family members is classified as domestic violence. To report verbal or physical assault, please click here.
For information on support please see here.