Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive, controlling behavior. Some abusers are able to exert complete control over a victim’s every action without ever using violence or only using subtle threats of violence. All types of abuse are devastating to victims.

Domestic Violence: Physical Abuse
Physical violence may include: hitting, punching, kicking, slapping, strangling, smothering, using or threatening to use weapons, shoving, interrupting your sleep, throwing things, destroying property, hurting or killing pets, and denying medical treatment.

Domestic Violence: Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse may include: physically forcing sex, making victims feel fearful about saying no to sex, forcing sex with other partners, forcing victims to participate in demeaning or degrading sexual acts, violence or name calling during sex, and denying contraception or protection from sexually transmitted diseases.

Domestic Violence: Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse can include: constant put downs or criticisms, name calling, “crazy making”, acting superior, minimizing the abuse or blaming victims for their behavior, threatening and making victims feel fearful, isolating them from family and friends, excessive jealousy, accusing victims of having affairs, and watching where they go and who they talk to.

Domestic Violence: Financial Abuse
Some forms of financial abuse include: giving victims an allowance, not letting them have their own money, hiding family assets, running up debt, interfering with victims’ jobs, and ruining their credit.