Who is Affected

• Men
• Women
• Teens
• Elders
• Children

Types of Abuse

Physical Abuse

Perhaps the most recognized form, physical abuse may include behaviors such as: hitting, slapping, punching, kicking, burning, strangulation, damaging personal property, threatening with weapons, refusing medical care and/or controlling medication, and coercing partner into substance abuse.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse occurs when an intimate partner seeks to control his/her loved one by: name calling, insulting, blaming the partner for everything, extreme jealousy, intimidation, shaming, humiliating, isolation, stalking, controlling what the partner does and/or where the partner goes.

Verbal Abuse

Verbal abuse involves using words to namecall, bully, demean, frighten, intimidate, or control another person. This can include overt verbal abuse such as yelling, screaming, or swearing. In addition, threats to their partner, children, family, or pets (with or without weapons), blaming victims for abusive behaviors, accusations of cheating, or cheating themselves and blaming the victim for their actions..

Digital Abuse

This form of abuse includes the use of technology to control and stalk a partner. Examples include: hacking into a partner’s email and personal accounts, using tracking devices in a partner’s cell phone/watch to monitor their location, phone calls and messages, monitoring interactions via social media, demanding to know partner’s passwords.

Financial Abuse

Any behavior that maintains power and control over finances constitutes financial abuse. Examples include causing a partner to lose their job through direct and indirect means, such as: inflicting physical harm or injury that would prevent the person from attending work, harassing partner at their workplace, controlling financial assets and effectively putting partner on an allowance, damaging a partner’s credit score

Psychological Abuse

Psychological Abuse is any behavior in the form of repeated and hostile or unwanted conduct, comments, actions or gestures that affects an individual’s dignity or psychological or physical integrity, using facial expressions or behaviors as scare tactics and gaslighting.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is about power, and includes any sexual behavior performed without a partner’s consent. Examples include: forcing a partner to perform sexual acts against their will, pursuing sexual activity when the victim is unable or afraid to say no, hurting their partner physically during sex, coercing partner to have sex without protection.

Who Qualifies

• Related by consanguinity (same kin/blood) or affinity (marriage)
• Legally or formerly married, regardless of whether they ever lived together
• Child in common, regardless of marriage or living together
• Unrelated persons who are or have lived together continually or at regular intervals
• Those not related by marriage or blood but are or have been in an intimate relationship

How We Can Help

Learn more about our Domestic Violence Program here.