Are you being abused?
Dating violence is a
pattern of abusive behavior. This
behavior can be physical, sexual,
emotional, verbal or psychological or can be done in any combination.
Verbal/Emotional/Psychological Abuse: Anything your abuser says or does to you
that causes you to be afraid, lowers your self esteem, or is done to manipulate
or control your feelings or behavior.
l Name-calling and put-downs l
Making you feel responsible
l Yelling and screaming for the violence
l Purposely embarrasses you l Threatens to commit
in private or in front of others suicide or hurt themselves
l Cheats on you l
Keeping you from seeing or
l Stalking-tracks all your time
talking with friends/family
l Threatening to hurt you or l Spreads rumors about
you
your friends and family l Telling you what to do
l Makes all the decisions l Ignoring your feelings
l Driving recklessly l Accuses you of cheating
l Breaks promises they made l
Manipulates you with lies
l Criticizes your beliefs or values l Breaks your stuff
l Criticizes your beliefs or values l Breaks your stuff
Physical Abuse: Any type of unwanted physical contact with
you by your abuser.
l Scratching l
Throwing Objects l
Pushing
l Punching l
Pulling Hair l
Slapping
l Biting l
Choking/Strangling l
Shoving
l Kicking l Using
a weapon l
Restraining
l Grabbing l
Abandons you in a dangerous place
Sexual Abuse: This may mean forced, unwanted contact or
being afraid to say no or unable to say no.
l Rape l
Unwanted rough or violent
l Unwanted kissing or touching
sexual activity
l Forcing you to go further l Not letting you use
birth
then you want (even if you control
or protection
have had sex before) against STIs
l Accusing you of sexual l Calls you sexual names
activity with others l Makes
comments about
l Insists you dress in a more
your body
sexual way than you want to l Insists you dress in a
less sexual way than you want to
Break
the Cycle.
07MAR2008. Break the Cycle. 12 Mar 2008 <http://www.breakthecycle.org/>.
Adapted
from: Getting Free: A Handbook for Women in Abusive Relationships