Victims of domestic violence

HUMAN RIGHTS

Your rights: an introduction

Find links to information about your rights and responsibilities depending on your situation in life. For example, you might have different rights if you are married, if you are a parent or if you are a carer for someone who needs help.

Couples living together

Although cohabitants are given legal protection in several areas, they have significantly fewer rights and responsibilities than couples who are married or who have formed a civil partnership. There is no such thing as common law marriage or common law man and wife.

If you and your partner are living together or are thinking about living together as a couple there are issues you should consider in the event that you split up or if one of you were to die.

Married couples and civil partners

All marriages and civil partnerships need to be registered for the legal rights to come into force. This affects several areas including tax, benefits and, in the event that the marriage or partnership breaks down, your duty to provide reasonable maintenance for your partner and any children.

Check the link below for more information on rights and relationships for couples living together, married couples and civil partnerships.

Parents

Parents do not automatically have rights over their children - these depend on 'parental responsibility’. If as parents of a child you are married to each other or you have jointly adopted the child, then you both have parental responsibility. This is not automatically the case for civil partners or unmarried fathers. Mothers, whether married or not, are always deemed to have 'parental responsibility' for their children.

Victims of domestic violence

Domestic violence is not acceptable under any circumstances. Domestic violence causes physical and emotional harm and not just to you. Children can also be affected by it, even just from witnessing it.

If you are thinking about leaving an abusive relationship and are worried about your safety and that of your child, there is help available, whatever your relationship status. If you are a couple living together, whether heterosexual or same sex you have the same rights as you would do if you were married or civil partnered. Men and women both have a right to be safe in their own homes and are entitled to the same level of help, support and protection.

Employees

If you are in employed in work, even if it is part-time, temporary or fixed term you are entitled to certain rights. In some cases there may be conditions to these rights but there are processes in place to ensure you have fair treatment. Your rights cover issues such as:

· age

· disability

· sex or gender

· race or religion

· sexual orientation

· the length of your contract

· the length of your employment

· part-time work

· ex-offenders

You also have responsibilities as an employee according to the terms of your contract.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14