Recognising Domestic Abuse
“When you’re in an abusive relationship, or being abused by a family member, it is sometimes hard to recognise the abusive behaviour for what it is, especially while you are still caught in the middle of it.”
Ask yourself the following questions
The more ‘yes’ answers you give, the more likely it is that you are in an abusive relationship:
Each person’s situation is different but there are common characteristics of an abusive relationship.
The first step is to acknowledge these characteristics in order to then prevent and stop the abuse. This list can help you to recognise if you, or someone you know, are in an abusive relationship.
Domestic abuse usually takes the form of controlling behaviour which gets worse over time. Physical violence and threats may be used to maintain control, but it’s important to recognise that domestic abuse does not have to include physical violence, it may be in the form of psychological, economic or emotional abuse.
Physical Abuse:
Punching, slapping, hitting, biting, pinching, kicking, pulling hair out, pushing, shoving, burning, strangling, pinning you down, holding you by the neck,restraining you.
Emotional Abuse:
Verbal abuse, destructive criticism, threats, insults, degradation, being isolated from friends and family.
Psychological Abuse:
Threats, checking up on you, monitors your calls/texts/emails/social media, mind games, prevents you going out alone.
Sexual Abuse:
Using force, threats to make you perform sexual acts, having sex when you don’t want it, forcing you to look at pornographic material, forcing you to have sex with other people.
Economic Abuse:
Withholding money, preventing you from getting/keeping a job, no access to bank and savings accounts.