Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence and emotional abuse are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other (the partner). Partners may be married or not married; heterosexual, gay, or lesbian: living together, separated, or dating.
Examples of domestic violence includes:
- name-calling or putdowns;
- keeping a partner from contacting their family or friends;
- withholding money;
- stopping a partner from getting or keeping a jo;
- actually or threatened physical harm;
- sexual assault;
- stalking; and
- intimidation.
Anyone can be a victim:
Victims of domestic violence can be of any age, sex, race, culture, religion, education, employment, or martial status. Although both men and women can be abused, most victims are women.
Children in homes where there is domestic violence or any type of violence, are more likely to be abused and/or neglected. Most children in those homes with risk factors that include domestic violence know about the violence. Even if the child is not being physically harmed, the child may suffer from emotional or behavior problems.
How to identify if your being abused: your partner
- embrasses you with put-downs;
- look at you or act in ways that scare you;
- controls what you do, when you do it, who you see, how long you see them, what you can eat, etc;
- stop you from seeing your family and friends;
- take your money, make you ask for money or refuse to give you money;
- makes all your decisions;
- Parents: says your a bad parent or threatens to take/hurt your children:
- prevent you from working or attending school;
- ack like the abuse is no biggy and says " its your fault";
- destroy your personal/favorite items or your animal;
- intimidate you with guns, knives, and other weapons;
- force you to try and drop charges; or
- threatens to kill you.