This chapter introduces definitions for family violence and defines related terms using three domains to differentiate multiple types of family violence. The modality domain describes the methods or actions through which violence is perpetrated (e.g. sexual violence, emotional abuse, financial abuse), the interpersonal domain describes the type of relationships (e.g. parent–child, spouse, partner) in which family violence occurs and the temporal domain describes family violence with regard to the lifespan (e.g. childhood abuse, teen dating violence, intimate partner violence, elder abuse). Next, an overview of global and national resources for violence prevalence statistics is presented and challenges related to effective and accurate measurement of family violence are discussed. Theoretical models and other frameworks are introduced to orient readers to useful lenses for deepening their understanding of family violence, including the social-ecological model, trauma-and-violence-informed care and cultural humility. Family violence is discussed as a public health and nursing practice issue. Finally, ongoing challenges and future directions for research on family violence and implications for global nursing practice are described, with special attention to the need for flexible yet standardised definitions of family violence and understanding of the co-occurring and cumulative nature of violence and other traumatic life events.