What is Intimate Partner Violence?
Intimate Partner Violence, formerly known as Domestic Violence, is a pattern of coercive and controlling behavior that includes physical abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, sexual abuse and/or financial abuse between two partners (NNEDV, 2017). In addition, some abusers are able to control their victims without ever using violence but by subtle threats of violence instead.
What Does Intimate Partner Violence Look Like?
Physical abuse can take many forms, including:
- Hitting, punching, kicking, slapping, strangling, smothering, or other actions that cause physical harm
- Using or threatening to use weapons
- Throwing objects
- Destroying property
- Harming or killing pets
- Denying access to medical care
What Does Sexual Abuse Look Like?
Sexual abuse can include:
- Physically forcing someone to engage in sex
- Creating fear around saying ‘no’ to sex
- Forcing sex with other partners
- Coercing participation in demeaning or degrading sexual acts
- Using violence or name-calling during sex
- Denying access to contraception or protection against sexually transmitted diseases
What Does Emotional Abuse Look Like?
Emotional abuse can include:
- Constant criticism
- Name-calling or put-downs
- Making you feel crazy or gaslighting
- Acting superior or condescending
- Minimizing the abuse or blaming you for their behavior
- Isolating you from friends and family
- Excessive jealousy or accusing you of having affairs
- Monitoring where you go and who you talk to
What Does Financial Abuse Look Like?
Financial abuse can include:
- Controlling your access to money by giving you an allowance
- Refusing to let you have your own money
- Hiding family assets
- Running up debt in your name
- Interfering with your ability to work
- Damaging your credit
