Forms of Violence

Emotional Abuse:

Includes undermining a person’s sense of self-worth through constant criticism; belittling one’s abilities; name-calling or other verbal abuse; damaging a partner’s relationship with the children; or not letting a partner see friends and family. According to United Nations; you may be in an emotionally abusive relationship if your partner:

• • Calls you names, insults you or continually criticizes you.
  • Does not trust you and acts in a jealous or possessive manner.
  • Tries to isolate you from family or friends.
  • Monitors where you go, whom you call and with whom you spend your time.
  • Does not want you to work.
  • Controls finances or refuses to share money.
  • Punishes you by withholding affection.
  • Expects you to ask permission.
  • Threatens to hurt you, the children, your family or your pets.
  • Humiliates you in any way.

Psychological Abuse:

Involves causing fear by intimidation. You may be in a psychological abusive relationship if your partner:

• Threatening you.
• Giving physical harm to self, partner or children.
• Destruction of pets and property.
• Playing “mind games”; or forcing isolation from friends, family, school and/or work.
• Causing guilt; manipulating children and family members; always insisting on being right and making up impossible “rules.”

Financial or Economic Abuse:

Involves making or attempting to make a person financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding access to money, and/or forbidding attendance at school or employment. You may be in an economic abusive relationship if your partner:

• Not paying bills.
• Refusing to give money.
• Not allowing you to go to school or work.
• Not allowing you to learn a new job skill.
• Refusing to work and support the family.

Physical Abuse:

Involves hurting or trying to hurt a partner by hitting, kicking, burning, grabbing, pinching, shoving, slapping, hair-pulling, biting, denying medical care or forcing alcohol and/or drug use, or using other physical force. You may be in a physically abusive relationship if your partner:

• Damages property when angry (throws objects, punches walls, kicks doors, etc.).
• Pushes, slaps, bites, kicks or chokes you.
• Abandons you in a dangerous or unfamiliar place.
• Scares you by driving recklessly.
• Uses a weapon to threaten or hurt you.
• Forces you to leave your home.
• Traps you in your home or keeps you from leaving.
• Prevents you from calling police or seeking medical attention.
• Hurts your children.
• Uses physical force in sexual situations.

Sexual abuse:

Involves forcing a partner to take part in a sex act when the partner does not consent. You may be in a sexually abusive relationship if your partner:

• Accuses you of cheating or is often jealous of your outside relationships.
• Wants you to dress in a sexual way.
• Insults you in sexual ways or calls you sexual names.
• Has ever forced or manipulated you into having sex or performing sexual acts.
• Holds you down during sex.
• Demands sex when you are sick, tired or after beating you.
• Hurts you with weapons or objects during sex.
• Involves other people in sexual activities with you.
• Ignores your feelings regarding sex.

Stalking:

Involves any pattern of behavior that serves no legitimate purpose and is intended to harass, annoy, or terrorize the victim. Typical stalking activities include:

• Repeated telephone calls, unwelcome letters or gifts by mail.
• Surveillance at work, home and other places that the victim is known to frequent.