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Domestic Violence
Power & Control: Recognizing the signs of domestic abuse
Does your partner…
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Embarrass or make fun of you in front of your friends or family?
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Put down your accomplishments?
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Make you feel like you are unable to make decisions?
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Use intimidation or threats to gain compliance?
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Tell you that you are nothing without them?
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Treat you roughly—grab, push, pinch, shove or hit you?
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Call you several times a night or show up to make sure you are where you said you would be?
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Use drugs or alcohol as an excuse for saying hurtful things or abusing you?
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Blame you for how they feel or act?
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Pressure you sexually for things you aren’t ready for?
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Make you feel like there is “no way out” of the relationship?
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Prevent you from doing things you want – like spending time with friends or family?
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Try to keep you from leaving after a fight or leave you somewhere after a fight to “teach you a lesson”?
Do you...
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Sometimes feel scared of how your partner may behave?
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Constantly make excuses to other people for your partner’s behaviour?
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Believe that you can help your partner change if only you changed something about yourself?
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Try not to do anything that would cause conflict or make your partner angry?
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Always do what your partner wants you to do instead of what you want?
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Stay with your partner because you are afraid of what your partner would do if you broke up?
If any of these things are happening in your relationship, talk to someone. Without help, the abuse will continue. Making that first call to seek help is a courageous step.
Types of Abuse
Domestic Violence, commonly known as battering, is a pattern of hurtful or harmful behaviors used to build control over someone through fear and intimidation. The behavior is abusive and usually comes by way of threats or the use of a violent act.
Abuse can take many forms including, but not limited to:
Psychological/Emotional, Physical, Economic, Sexual abuse, and stalking.
Psychological abuse: involves causing fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner or children; destruction of pets and property; “mind games”; or forcing isolation from friends, family, school and/or work.
Physical abuse: involves hurting or trying to hurt a partner by hitting, kicking, burning, grabbing, pinching, shoving, slapping, hair-pulling, biting, denying medical care or forcing alcohol and/or drug use, or using other physical force.
You may be in a physically abusive relationship if your partner:
Financial or economic abuse: involves making or attempting to make a person financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding access to money, and/or forbidding attendance at school or employment.
Sexual abuse: involves forcing a partner to take part in a sex act when the partner does not consent. You may be in a sexually abusive relationship if your partner
Stalking involves any pattern of behavior that serves no legitimate purpose and is intended to harass, annoy, or terrorize the victim. Typical stalking activities include repeated telephone calls, unwelcome letters or gifts by mail, surveillance at work, home, and other places that the victim is known to frequent.
Interested in Donating to the Development of the Project Hope Program?
If you would like to donate to the development of Project Hope DV, Rapid Rehousing Program or provide specific donations to DV survivors, please visit our donate page. Thank you for your passion to serve!