Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is easier to recognize and understand than other types of abuse. It can be indicated when the abuser:

• Use of physical force resulting in physical injury.
• Scratches, bites, grabs, or spits at a current or former intimate partner.
• Shakes, shoves, pushes, restrains or throws the victim.
• Twists, slaps, punches, strangles or burns the victim.
• Throws objects at the victim.
• Locks victim in or out of the house.
• Refuses to help when the victim is sick, injured or pregnant, or withholds medication or medical treatment.
• Withholds food as punishment.
• Disrupts eating patterns, which can result in malnutrition.
• Attacks victim with weapons or kills him/her.

Verbal Abuse

We have all heard the common saying, “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” Unfortuantly, this cliche is not true. Verbal abuse is the use of words to causing harm to the abuser. It can be difficult to define and may take many forms. Verbal abuse can be indicated when the abuser:

• Name calling.
• Critical, sarcastic, belittling remarks intended to you put you down either alone or in front of others.
• Yelling, foul language, swearing, may occur even at the slightest incident.
• Threats and intimidation.
• Being ignored or given the “silent treatment”.
• When you express you are hurt the feelings are dismissed or are told, “you are simply trying to start an argument”.
• Transferring blame to the victim

Emotional/Psychological Abuse

Emotional/psychological abuse is the intentional intent to mentally and/or emotionally injury the victim. Psychological abuse can be indicated when the abuser:

• Verbally attacks and humiliates his/her partner in private or public
• Attacks the victim’s vulnerabilities, such as his/her language abilities, educational level, skills as a parent, religious and cultural beliefs, and/or physical appearance
• Plays mind games
• Denies requests made previously or when undercuts victims sense of reality
• Forces victim to do degrading things
• Withholds approval or affection as punishment
• Regularly threatens to leave or tells victim to leave
• Jealous and possessive
• Stalking
• “Virtual” stalking by use of email, social networking, and other forms of technology
• Monitors victims phone calls, texts, emails, social networking, and monitoring other forms of victims communication
• Victim is always wrong
• Criticizes and puts the victim down
• Blames victim for abusive actions and behaviors
• Undermines victim’s mental stability

Financial Abuse

Financial abuse is not as well known but may cause  the victim to become dependent on the abuser. Financial abuse can be indicated when the abuser:

• Controls all the money
• Gives victim an allowance
• Withhold money and/or credit cards
• Doesn’t let the victim work outside the home or sabotages his/her attempts to work or go to school
• Exploits victims asset for their own personal gain
• Refuses to work and makes victim support the family
• Ruins victim credit rating
• Financially dependent on the abuser

Sexual Violence & Abuse

Sexual violence or spousal abuse is forced sexual contact with a person you have had consensual sexual interaction with before. Sexual abuse can be indicated when the abuser:

• Is jealous, angry and assumes the victim will have sex with anyone.
• Withholds sex and affection as punishment.
• Calls the victim sexual names.
• Pressures the victim to have sex when they do not want to.
• Insists that his partner dress in a more sexual way than she wants.
• Coerces sex by manipulation or threats.
• Physically forces sex, or are sexually violent.
• Coerces victim into sexual acts that they are uncomfortable with, such as sex with a third party, physically painful sex, sexual activity that the victim finds offensive, or verbal degradation during sex.
• Inflicts injuries that are sex-specific.
• Denies the victim contraception or protection against sexually transmitted diseases.

Other Control Tactics

Some additional tactics of abuse may be indicated when the abuser:

• Isolates victims from family and friends
• Using the children
• Damaging relationships
• Attacking property and pets
• Stalking partner or ex-partner