What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence is a violent or controlling behavior by a person toward a family or household member, usually towards an intimate partner.  Although the partner is the primary target, violence is often directed toward the children as well.  Approximately 95% of domestic violence victims are women.  It is a learned behavior.  Abuser and victims come from all walks of life, races, income levels and ages.

There are many types of abuse:

Verbal

• Yelling, name-calling, threatening to hurt or kill, criticizing your appearance, belittling, constant blaming

Emotional

• Social isolation, neglecting physical or emotional needs, abusing pets, accusations of an affair, monitoring telephone conversations, criticizing family and friends, embarrassing you in front of others

Sexual  

• Unwanted sexual advances, committing rape or incest, forcing you to have sex with others, forcing pregnancy or abortion.
   

Psychological  

• “Brainwashing”- a person’s self-worth is destroyed
  through harassment, threats, deprivations of food and sleep
   

Physical  

• Hitting, kicking, punching, slapping, inflicting injury with weapons, homicide

Economic

• Withholding financial information, controlling money & bank accounts, making you account for expenditures