EXAMPLES OF ABUSE
PHYSICAL ABUSE
- Pushing, shoving, kicking you; holding you down
- Throwing objects at you
- Biting, stabbing, burning, or choking you
- Threatening or hurting you with a weapon
SEXUAL ABUSE
- Forcing you to engage in sexual acts that make you feel uncomfortable
- Seeing you as property or a sex object rather than a person
- Forcing you to dress a certain way
- Forcing you to engage in sexual acts with others
EMOTIONAL ABUSE
- Verbally abusing, belittling, or humiliating you in front of friends, family, colleagues, or on social media
- Ignoring or putting down your opinions or accomplishments
- Treating you so badly you are embarrassed and avoid family or friends
- Criticizing your thoughts, actions, and abilities to undermine your belief in yourself
ISOLATION
- Being possessive, acting jealous, or harassing you with accusations of being unfaithful
- Taking away your car keys, phone, medication, or money
- Trying to control where you go and what you do
- Keeping you from seeing family or friends
INTIMIDATION AND THREATS
- Frightening you with looks, gestures, or actions
- Threatening to make false allegations about you to friends, employer, or police
- Displaying weapons during an argument
- Threatening to leave you or commit suicide
USING THE CHILDREN
- Calling you a bad parent
- Using the children to make you feel guilty
- Threatening to hurt, kidnap, or kill the children
- Using the children as pawns in the relationship
- Involving the children in spying or reporting on you
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ABUSE
- Misusing fiancés or exploitation of funds
- Isolating them from other people or activities
- Minimizing their capabilities
- Destroying or disabling their equipment
- Manipulating or withholding medication
- Refusing to provide essential personal assistance
CYBER STALKING AND CYBER BULLYING
- Sharing photos or personal information against your wishes
- Reading your email or text messages without your consent
- Cyber attacks, intimidation, and unwanted sexting
- Obsessively calling, texting, or emailing
BULLYING OR HARASSING BEHAVIOR
- Physical conduct ranging from uninvited touching, patting, pinching, or pushing
- Saying lewd comments or making unwelcome sexual advances
- Making demeaning comments about a person’s appearance
- Spreading malicious rumors or gossip
- Using obscene gestures, leering, or whistling
- Telling unwelcome jokes, using abusive language, or making comments about a person’s age, race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation