Dating violence (or Domestic violence) is a form of abuse. Abuse is when someone shows disrespect to another person and tries to hurt, control, or bully them. It’s not just physical. If you find that you can answer ‘yes’ to any of the things on the list below, look for help:
Social Abuse – My partner…
- stops me from seeing friends and family
- follows me or is always pressurizing me to say where I’m going
- monitors my time spent away from him/her
- stops me from leaving the house
- stops me from having a job
- stops me from getting medical help
- tries to turn others against me
Emotional & Verbal Abuse – My partner…
- makes me feel stupid, often
- threatens to take their life if I leave the relationship
- tells me I am crazy, useless etc.
- goes through my personal things, even without permission (e-mail, Facebook, MySpace, mail,
- purse, phone)
Psychological Abuse & Threats – My partner threatens to…
- turn people against me
- leave the relationship unless I do as they say
- see another person
- take my money
- come after me if I leave the relationship
- hurt or kill me
Financial Abuse – My partner…
- takes control of all the money without letting me have any
- makes me tell them everything I spend money on
- makes me ask for necessities
- undermines my attempts to get / keep / improve my job or education
- makes me ask for money
- makes all of our major decisions without consulting me
Sexual Abuse – My partner…
- pressures me to have sex, sometimes in ways I really don’t like
- withholds sex from me to ‘punish’ me
- forces me to have sex
- makes me feel like an object or possession, not a person
Physical Abuse – My partner…
- throws / pushes / grabs / shoves / chokes / kicks / hits me
- pulls my hair
- twists my arm
- hurts my pets
- deprives me of sleep
Abuse happens in different relationships – domestic abuse (between partners, or parents of the same child); child abuse (parent to child); dating or relationship abuse (between you and the one you date).
Violence and abuse is always wrong, and against the law.
You do not have to live with abuse; there is help and there is hope. If you feel you may need to get out, call a local abuse shelter to find out your options. If you want someone to talk to, you can get in touch with us – we will try to connect you with a place that can help you.
Remember that you are important. Your life counts, and you can make a difference in this world. If you ever need to talk about this or anything else, feel free to get in touch with us. We’re here for you.
