What constitutes "domestic abuse" according to legal definitions?

The definition of "domestic abuse" typically encompasses behaviors that inflict physical harm, cause fear of imminent physical harm, or create a pattern of coercive control against a family or household member. Therefore, the option that specifies physical harm or the infliction of fear against a family member captures the essence of what constitutes domestic abuse.

This includes various forms of abuse, such as physical, emotional, and psychological, as long as the actions occur between individuals who are in a domestic relationship. The focus on both physical harm and the creation of fear highlights the impact of abusive behavior regardless of whether physical violence has occurred.

Other choices fall short because they either narrow the definition to only specific actions, like threatening behavior or assaults with weapons, or limit the context to public incidents, which do not apply to the broader, more profound reality of domestic abuse that can occur in private settings.