What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive and manipulative behavior used to control an intimate partner. There are four main types of abuse.

​

Psychological

• Breaking promises or agreements

• Not taking responsibility for actions

• Verbally attacking, and publicly humiliating partner

• Attacking vulnerabilities (language, education, parenting skills, religion, or appearance)

• Telling partner they are crazy, or undermining partner’s sanity

• Degrading partner

• Withholding affection or approval as punishment, or to gain control

• Threatening to leave, or telling partner to leave in order to manipulate behavior

• Accusing partner of being unfaithful, or having affairs

​

Physical Abuse

• Hitting, pushing, biting, slapping, restraining, scratching, burning

• Strangling

• Locking partner out of house

• Throwing objects at partner

• Withholding medical treatment or medication

• Withholding food as punishment

• Abusing at night to disrupt sleep schedule

• Using weapons to injure, or kill

​

Sexual Abuse

• Withholding sex/affection as punishment

• Forcing, coercing, or pressuring partner to have sex, or do sexual acts

• Calling partner sexual names

• Inflicting injuries to sexual body parts

• Denying partner access to contraceptives, or protection against STDs

​

Economic Abuse

• Controlling all the money

• Keeping partner from working

• Forcing partner to support family alone

• Ruining her credit rating