Types of Abuse
Everyone deserves to have an abuse-free life.
WARNING: THE IMAGES & DESCRIPTIONS BELOW MAY BE TRIGGERING FOR SOME.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911
Physical Abuse
Definition: Any unwanted attempt to control someone physically.
Examples Can Be, But Not Limited To: Punching, Hitting, Kicking, Strangling, Restraining, Stabbing, Biting, Squeezing, Shoving, Pushing, Grabbing, Strangling, Using weapons, Throwing things, Attempting to kill, Reckless driving, Pulling hair, Murder.
Emotional Abuse
Definition: Controlling how another person feels. Playing on someone’s emotions.
Examples Can Be, But Not Limited To: Criticizing, Name-Calling, Undermining, Dismissing, Invalidating you, Gaslighting, Manipulating, Controlling, Punishing you by giving you the silent treatment, Blaming you for their downfalls, Condescending, Isolating you from Friends and Family.
Spiritual Abuse
Definition: Destroying someone’s sense of who they are.
Examples Can Be, But Not Limited To: Ridicule/insults the other person’s religious /spiritual beliefs, Prevents the other partner from practicing their beliefs, Uses other person's beliefs to manipulate or shame them, Forces the children to be raised in a faith or way that the other partner has not agreed to, Uses religious beliefs to minimize or rationalize abusive behaviors etc.
Sexual Abuse
Definition: Using someone’s sexuality to control him or her. (CONTROLLING, hurting or destroying them).
Examples Can Be, But Not Limited To: Rape, Sexual assault , Forcing sex , Forcing sex in front of others or with others, Making someone else watch pornography when they don't want to, Unwanted touching, Videoing / photographing someone doing sexual acts, Withholding sex.
Financial Abuse
Definition: Definition: Using financial power to control others.
Examples Can Be, But Not Limited To: Monitoring how you spend your money, Demanding receipts or proof of purchases. Not allowing you access to your pay check or accounts. Preventing you from viewing or accessing bank accounts. Preventing you from working or limiting and controlling the amount of hours and where you work. Not paying bills, or otherwise harming your credit score. Stealing money from you. Refusing to provide money for basic needs or shared expenses (food, clothing, transportation, medicine, appointments etc.)
Psychological Abuse
Definition: Shifting responsibility by destroying a person’s thought patterns, making a person think that he/she is the cause of abuse.
Examples Can Be, But Not Limited To: Isolation from friends and family, Verbal aggression, Threats, Intimidation, Control, Harassment or stalking, Insulting you, Humiliating you and Defamation of character. Using your children to threaten or control you, Changing a persons sense of self by distorting or confusing their thoughts, Gas-lighting.
Abandonment
Definition: Not being available physically, psychologically, or emotionally to a person who needs you and using this to control them.
Examples Can Be, But Not Limited To: Threatening to leave (also a form of emotional abuse), Using the human need for connection against another person, Abused individual will do whatever it takes to prevent being abandoned or left alone by their abuser (becomes conditioned to do whatever abuser wants), Neglect from partner, Emotionally unavailable, Etc.
