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
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Breaking promises or agreements
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Not taking responsibility for actions
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Verbally attacking, and publicly humiliating partner
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Attacking vulnerabilities (language, education, parenting skills, religion, or appearance)
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Telling partner they are crazy, or undermining partner’s sanity
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Degrading partner
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Withholding affection or approval as punishment, or to gain control
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Threatening to leave, or telling partner to leave in order to manipulate behavior
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Accusing partner of being unfaithful, or having affairs
Physical Abuse
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Hitting, pushing, biting, slapping, restraining, scratching, burning
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Strangling
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Locking partner out of house
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Throwing objects at partner
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Withholding medical treatment or medication
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Withholding food as punishment
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Abusing at night to disrupt sleep schedule
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Using weapons to injure, or kill
Sexual Abuse
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Withholding sex/affection as punishment
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Forcing, coercing, or pressuring partner to have sex, or do sexual acts
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Calling partner sexual names
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Inflicting injuries to sexual body parts
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Denying partner access to contraceptives, or protection against STDs
Economic Abuse
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Controlling all the money
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Keeping partner from working
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Forcing partner to support family alone
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Ruining her credit rating