All the definitions surrounding domestic violence can be confusing. Here are some quick questions you can ask yourself, in order to assess your relationship.
Does your partner…
Scare you with looks, actions, or words?
Control your life - who you see, where you go, and who you talk with?
Make all the final decisions in your relationship?
Keep money from you or take your money?
Not allow you to have a job, or try to prevent you from getting a job?
Call you names either at home or in public?
Kick, hit, punch, slap, or otherwise physically harm you?
Break your personal possessions or throw them away?
Force you to have sex, or say it’s your duty?
Scare you with weapons like knives or guns?
Make you do illegal things?
Try to make you feel guilty about the abuse.
Tell you the abuse is your fault, deny the abuse, or tell you that you’re exaggerating?
Threaten to commit suicide, “Because of you” or because of something you do?
Threaten to hurt or kill you or your children?
Threaten to harm your friends and family if you tell.
Threaten to take your children away if you leave or tell anyone about the abuse.
If you said yes to even one of the above, you may be in an abusive relationship. The best thing to do is to try and get some support. Below is the support number I’ve had posted all day, and later, I’ll post a few more good resources.
Support:
If you know that you’re in an abusive relationship, there is help available. You can visit the National Domestic Violence website or give them a call at 1-800-799-SAFE. Note that your partner can see what websites you’ve been searching by looking at your computer history. If you’re worried about your partner knowing that you visited a domestic violence website then use the phone number instead.
