Intimate Partner (Domestic) Violence

Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, can be a single abusive event or a pattern of coercive behavior used as revenge or to control, punish, or intimidate an intimate partner. It can occur to anyone, any age, gender, race, religion, culture, or sexual orientation. Domestic violence can take many forms, including abuse that is verbal, physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, and/or financial.

No one should suffer abuse from a loved one, but if you are, the Denver Police Department and many others are here to help.

The Denver Police Department has a specialized investigative unit dedicated to domestic violence crimes and a Victim Assistance Unit that have partnered with the Rose Andom Center which is a centralized location where community-based organizations and city government agencies work collaboratively to serve victims of domestic violence.

What are the Signs of an Abusive Relationship?

Does your partner:

Tell you that you can never do anything right?
Show extreme jealousy of your friends and/or try to limit your time spent away?
Keep you or discourage you from seeing friends or family members
Insult, demean, or shame you with put-downs?
Take your money or refuse to give you money for necessary expenses?
Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
Control who you see, where you go, or what you do?
Prevent you from making your own decisions?
Tell you that you are a bad parent or threaten to harm or take away your children?
Prevent you from working or attending school?
Destroy your property or threaten to hurt or kill your pets?
Intimidate you with guns, knives, or other weapons?
Pressure you to have sex when you don’t want to or do things sexually you’re not comfortable with?
Pressure you to use drugs or alcohol?

Signs of Abusive Behavior

Domestic Violence can be experienced in one or more of the following behaviors:

Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Emotional/ Psychological Abuse
Economic Abuse
Threats
Stalking/ Cyber Stalking

Each victim’s experience will be unique and may take place during different time frames. The following are signs of abusive behavior that may be experienced.

Intimidation/ Threats

Threatening harm to someone or their friends/family.
Threatening to lie to law enforcement.
Threatening to commit suicide.
Using legal status and immigration as an intimidation factor.

Sexual Abuse

Forcing sexual acts through manipulation or threats.

Economic Abuse

Preventing someone from getting or keeping a job.
Limiting access to income.

Isolation

Controlling what someone does or who they see.
Damaging relationships with family and friends.

Emotional/ Psychological Abuse

Attacking self-worth, name-calling, criticism, and humiliation.
Being possessive and jealous.
Making someone feel like they are going crazy.

Using Children or Pets

Using children as a means of guilt and/or controlling mechanism.
Threating to take children away or to call human services.
Sabotaging birth control or forcing pregnancies.
Abusing or mistreating pets when this behavior is used as a method of coercion, control, punishment, intimidation, or revenge directed against the victim

Religious/Cultural

One’s cultural/religious community may be very small. This can stop victims from seeking help due to fear of isolation or shame.
Preventing victims from practicing religion, or forcing the victim to act against religious beliefs.
Abusers may use religious examples to excuse abusive behaviors.
Abusers may isolate the victim from being around other religious/ cultural members to prevent them from seeking help.

More Information

Myths surrounding Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence Red Flags

Domestic Violence Prevention Program

Help is Available

Resources for those who Experience Domestic Conflict

Emergency Assistance (call or text)
9-1-1

Denver Health Emergency Department
303-436-6000

Legal Assistance

Colorado Legal Services — 303-837-1321

Project Safeguard— 303-219-7049

Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center— 303-692-1165

Rocky Mountain Victim Law Center— 303-295-2001

Community-Based Services (hotlines, counseling, emergency resources, or support)

Center for Trauma & Resilience— 303-860-0660

Colorado Mental Health Line— Call or text 988

Healing from the Heart — 303-733-1176

Latina SafeHouse — 303-433-4470

Maria Droste Counseling Center — 303-756-9052

WellPower (formerly Mental Health Center of Denver) — 303-504-7900

Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners —303-928-7100

Servicios De La Raza — 303-458-5851

Asian Pacific Development Center— 303-923-2920

Survivors Organizing for Liberation — 888-557-4441

DOVE (Deaf Overcoming Violence through Empowerment) — 303-831-7874

ROSE ANDOM CENTER — 720-337-4400

The Initiative — 303-839-5510

Voluntad — 303-433-2712

Community Outreach for Children/Youth/Family

Project Pave — 303-322-2382

Denver Children's Advocacy Center — 303-825-3850

Shelter/Housing/Counseling/Case Management

Gateway Domestic Violence Services/Three Birds Alliance — 303-343-1851

SafeHouse Denver — 303-318-9989

SafeHouse Progressive Alliance — 303-444-2424

United Way 211 — 303-561-2111

Criminal Justice Resources

City Attorney-Victim Resource Program — 720-913-8020

County Court Probation Victim Advocate — 720-913-8372

Denver Crime Victim Compensation — 720-913-9253

District Attorney-Victim Assistance — 720-913-9008

VINE (Victim Notification and Information Everyday) — 1-888-263-8463

DPD Victim Assistance Unit — 720-913-6035

DPD Pretrial Victim Services Unit — 720-913-6035

Division of Criminal Justice Victim Programs — 303-239-4442

If you act in a way that is or can be harmful to your partner, there are resources

Turning Point	303-780-0170
National Institute for Change	303-231-0090
Aurora Center for Treatment	303-340-8990
Creative Treatment Options	303-467-2624
Park Hill Counseling	720-387-7931
IDEA	720-949-0095
Spanish Clinic	303-934-3040
Running Creek	303-805-1218
AB Counseling	303-237-3599
WellPower (previously Mental Health Center of Denver)	303-617-2424
Choices in Living	303-937-7696

More Information

The Denver Police Department is pleased to partner with the Rose Andom Center, where intimate partner (domestic) violence survivors can find the safety, support, and services they need.

ASL Information

Services Include:

Safety Needs - referral and access to shelter services
Safety Planning
Risk Assessment
Crisis Intervention, access to 24-hour hotlines
Safe space for children to play while their parent meets with service providers
Basic emergency needs for victims in need
Access to law enforcement
Assistance filing protection orders
Counseling and advocacy for adults, children and youth impacted by domestic violence
Facilitate access to public benefits (i.e., TANF, Medicaid)
Advocacy and information regarding the criminal justice system response
Assistance with a range of civil legal needs (i.e., custody, child support, bankruptcy)
Assistance with job readiness, skill building, job search, and referrals
Referrals to transitional and permanent housing resources