Domestic Violence Does Not Discrimate

 

 

Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, family violence, and intimate partner violence, has been broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, friends or cohabitation. Domestic violence occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels.  Domestic violence takes many forms and includes a range of actions intended to control: isolation, intimidation, using children, emotional abuse, economic abuse, coercion and threats, minimizing, denying and blaming, cultural abuse, ritual abuse, male privilege and sexual abuse.  Though women are more commonly victimized, men, children and seniors are victims of domestic violence too. 

 

Common Forms of Abuse:

  Physical Abuse

        Physical violence may include: hitting, punching, kicking, slapping,                 strangling, smothering, using or threatening to use weapons, shoving,         interrupting your sleep, throwing things, destroying property,         hurting or killing pets, and denying medical treatment.


 

  Emotional Abuse

        Emotional abuse can include: constant put downs or criticisms,
        name calling, “crazy making”, acting superior, minimizing the abuse
        or blaming you for their behavior, threatening and making you feel            fearful, isolating you from family and friends, excessive jealously,              accusing you of having  affairs, and watching where you go and who         you talk to.




  Sexual Abuse

       Sexual abuse may include: physically forcing sex, making you        feel fearful about saying no to sex, forcing sex with other partners,        forcing you to participate in demeaning or degrading sexual acts,        violence or name calling during sex, and denying contraception or        protection from sexually transmitted diseases.

 

  Financial Abuse

      Some forms of financial abuse include: giving you an allowance, not       letting you have your own money, hiding family assets, running up debt,       interfering with your job, and ruining your credit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLR Community Empowerment Inc.

412 H Street, NE,
Washington, DC 20002
202-548-0485
www.clrcommunity.org

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Family Violence Prevention Services Grant and D. C. Department of Human Services/Family Services Administration