Types of abuse

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Types of abuse

Domestic violence abuse can take many forms. It can affect your mind and emotions, or be physical or dangerous to your life. Below are some examples of types of abuse.

The lists below may not include all of the possible types of abuse. If you think you are being abused in another way, talk to someone you trust, or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233).

Domestic violence abuse might include:

• Hitting, shoving, slapping, kicking, punching, or choking you.
• Threatening to hurt or kill you.
• Calling you names or telling you that you are crazy.
• Criticizing things you do or say, or criticizing how you look.
• Hurting your pets or destroying things special to you.
• Blaming you for the abuse he or she commits.
• Limiting where you can go, what you can do, and who you can talk to.
• Unexpectedly checking up on you at your workplace, home, school, or elsewhere.
• Forcing you to have sex against your will.
• Apologizing and telling you it will never happen again (even though it already has).

Credits

Last updated:	March 20, 2008
Author:	Jeannette Curtis
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Brigid McCaw, MD, MS, MPH, FACP - Family Violence Prevention
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer