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About DV - What is
Abuse?
What do we mean when we talk about relationship abuse, or domestic violence?
Relationship abuse is a pattern of misusing power to control and hurt someone in
an intimate partner relationship. Abuse and violence in relationships adhere to
no boundaries – it can happen to anyone, at any age, regardless of race,
religion, ethnicity, level of education, sexual orientation or economic
background. Abuse comes in many forms:
| Physical |
Kicking,
punching, shoving, slapping, pushing, and any other acts
which hurt your body. |
| Sexual |
Calling
you vulgar names, criticizing your body part or
sensuality, forced or pressured sexual acts, including
rape |
| Emotional |
Assaults
against your self-esteem |
| Verbal |
Name-calling, threats, put-downs |
|
Psychological |
Causing
you to feel as if you are "going crazy" |
| Spiritual |
Attacking
your spiritual or religious beliefs |
| Financial |
Controlling and manipulating you by threatening your
economic status and basic needs |
|
Homophobic |
Threatening to "out" you to people who do not know your
sexual orientation |
|
Immigration |
Using
your immigration status and fear of deportation to
control you |
|
Destructive Acts |
Actual or threatened assault of your property or pets to
scare you |
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