What is Domestic Violence?
Physical Abuse*:
- Pushing, slapping, punching, biting, kicking, or strangling.
- Throwing or otherwise destroying valued objects.
- Harming children or pets.
- Hair pulling.
- Restraining or trapping.
- Forcing you to leave your home.
- Using a weapon to threaten or hurt you.
- Driving recklessly.
- Abandoning you in a dangerous or unfamiliar place.
- Preventing you from calling police or seeking medical attention.
Sexual Abuse:
- Views women as objects and believes in rigid gender roles.
- Insults you in sexual ways or calls you sexual names.
- Has ever forced or manipulated you into to having sex.
- Held you down during sex.
- Demanded sex when you were sick, tired or after beating you.
- Hurt you with weapons or objects during sex.
- Involved other people in sexual activities with you.
- Withholds sex from you.
- Forces you to become pregnant, get an abortion, or kills your fetus.
*National Domestic Violence Hotline, Get Educated, What is Domestic Violence
Verbal, Emotional, or Psychological Abuse:
- Controls what you do, read, think, say, where you go, who you see.
- Expects you to ask permission, treats you like a servant.
- Calls you names, insults you or continually criticizes you.
- Humiliates you in any way.
- Does not trust you and acts jealous or possessive.
- Tries to isolate you from family or friends.
- Makes you think you are crazy, plays mind games with you.
- Intimidates you with looks, actions and gestures.
- Punishes you by withholding affection.
- Threatens to kill himself.
- Threatens to hurt you, the children, your family or your pets.
- Uses the children against you.
- Blames his abuse on you, or claims it never happened.
Economic Abuse:
- Keeps you from getting or keeping a job, or takes your money.
- Controls finances, refuses to work (for the home or outside the home).
- Gives you an allowance, or refuses to share money.
Spiritual Abuse:
- Twists or distorts biblical scripture to control you or make you feel guilty.