Types of Violence

Physical Abuse

  • Beating
  • Choking
  • Hitting
  • Kicking
  • Pushing
  • Slapping

Verbal Abuse

  • Changing the subject
  • Criticizing
  • Humiliating
  • Interrupting
  • Mocking
  • Name-calling
  • Not responding to what the victim is saying
  • Swearing
  • Yelling

Sexual Violence

Forcing sex on an unwilling partner. Demanding sexual acts that the victim does not want to perform. Degrading treatment. Sending explicit pictures and demanding some in return.

Isolation

Making it hard for the victim to see friends and relatives. Monitoring phone calls. Reading mail and messages. Controlling where the victim goes. Taking the victim's car keys, phone, etc.

Coercion

Works to make the victim feel guilty. Pushing the victim into decisions. Sulking. Manipulating children and other family members. Always insisting on being right. Making up impossible "rules" and punishing the victim for breaking them.

Harassment

  • Constantly checking up on the victim whether through texts, social media, or phone calls
  • Embarrassing the victim in public
  • Following or stalking
  • Refusing to leave when asked

Economic Control

  • Interfering with the victim's job
  • Not letting the victim work
  • Not paying bills
  • Refusing to give the victim money
  • Refusing to work and help support the family

Abusing Trust

  • Being overly jealous
  • Being unfaithful
  • Breaking promises
  • Lying
  • Not sharing domestic responsibilities
  • Withholding important information
  • Stealing passwords or demanding to know all your passwords
  • Constantly looking through your phone

Threats & Intimidation

Threatening to harm the victim, the children, the family members, and the pets. Using physical size to intimidate the victim and shouting. Keeping weapons and threatening to use them.

Emotional Withholding

  • Not expressing feelings
  • Not giving compliments
  • Not paying attention
  • Not respecting the victim's feelings, rights and opinions
  • Not taking the victim's concerns seriously

Destruction of Property

  • Breaking dishes
  • Destroying furniture
  • Punching walls
  • Throwing things

Self-Destructive Behavior

  • Abusing drugs or alcohol
  • Deliberately doing things that will cause trouble (like telling off the boss)
  • Driving recklessly
  • Threatening self-harm or suicide