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.