WHAT ARE ABUSIVE BEHAVIORS?
Physical Abuse
Pushing, shoving, physically preventing a person from leaving
Slapping, biting, kicking, choking, pinching, burning, hitting
or punching
Tying down, sitting upon, or physically restraining the
victim
Throwing objects
Abandonment in dangerous places
Threats with or injury with weapons
Intentionally disrupting sleep
Withholding food or medication
Withholding medical appliances (walker, crutches, dentures)
Preventing the victim from leaving the house
Throwing the victim down stairs or against a wall, striking
the victim with a motor vehicle, setting the victim on fire, holding the victim
under water
Emotional Abuse
Ignoring feelings, subjecting the partner to unpredictable
outbursts of anger, withdrawal of contact or affection
Persistent name-calling, degrading remarks, humiliation
of the victim in public or private
Ridiculing the partner's performance: sexual, housecleaning,
work, etc.
Displaying obsessive jealousy
Isolating the victim from family or friends
Insulting family or friends of the victim
Insulting beliefs, religion, race, heritage, or sex
Controlling the victim's clothing, hairstyle, entertainment,
religious affiliation, and work choices
Abusing pets to punish or frighten the victim
Lying
Sexual Abuse
Obtaining sex by force, assaulting the victim during sexual
acts, rape
Forced unsafe sex
Forced oral, anal, or genital contact
Criticizing sexual performance
Using sexually degrading language
Forcing the victim to perform sadistic or unpleasant sexual
acts
Denying sex to the victim
Controlling reproductive choice (i.e., prohibition of contraception)
Forcing the victim to have sex with others
Forcing the victim to engage in prostitution
Intentional exposure to sexually transmitted diseases including
HIV
Unwanted sexual bondage
Threatening the victim with a weapon to obtain sex
Destructive Acts
Throwing, breaking or burning of household items
Cutting up clothing, furniture, credit cards
Throwing away medications and destroying medical appliances
(dentures, crutches, prosthetic devices)
Damaging or stealing the victims car
Intentional damage to personal items such as photographs,
jewelry, clothing
Stealing, hiding, or selling of the victim's property
Economic Abuse
Seizing control of the partner's assets, registering all
assets in the name of the abuser
Misuse of the partner's credit cards
Interference with the partner's work or education
Refusal to work, forcing the partner to work to support
the abuser
Interference with the partner's spending
Stealing the partner's disability or social security checks,
food, stamps, etc.
Threatening Behaviors
Brandishing weapons
Threatening physical or sexual assault
Threatening to expose the partner to HIV
Threatening to destroy or misappropriate property
Threats to kill the partner, self, others
Threats against third parties
Reminders of prior assaults against third parties
Displays of anger: pounding fists in anger
Telephone harassment
Stalking
Threats to expose the partner's sexual orientation (same-sex
partners)
Threats to kidnap or sue for sole custody of the couple's
children