Different types of Abuse
Physical Abuse
- Punching, kicking, shoving or dragging you
- Slapping or biting you, or pulling your hair
- Destroying your property like smashing your favourite chair
- Abusing your loved ones such as children, siblings or parents
- "Caring" for you in a controlling way; this can include things like giving you too much medication or keeping you confined.
- Using a weapon or other objects to threaten, hurt or kill you.
Psychological or Emotional Abuse
Threats
- Threatening to take your children away from you
- Threatening to put you in an institution
- Threatening to commit suicide / homicide
- Threatening to withdraw immigration sponsorship, or to have you deported
- Following you
- Watching you
- Harassing you
Control
- Controlling your time, what you do, how you dress and how you wear your hair
- Putting limits on whom you can visit or talk to on the phone
- Keeping you away from friends and relatives - isolating you
- Not respecting your privacy
- Denying sex, affection or personal care
Verbal Abuse
- Putting you down and calling you names all the time
- Calling you stupid, crazy or irrational
- Accusing you of cheating
- Attacking your self-esteem in other ways
Sexual Abuse
- Touching or acting sexual in any way that you don't want
- Forcing or pressuring you into sexual acts
- Forcing you to be a prostitute
- Not letting you have information and education about sexuality
- Forcing you to get pregnant, have an abortion, or have an operation so that you can't have children
- Infecting you with HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.
Neglect and Isolation
- Not letting you see a doctor or dentist
- Taking away TTY, hearing aids or a guide dog
- Locking you in the house without a phone
- Not allowing you to see friends or family members
- Not letting you work outside of the home
- Not allowing you to take courses in ESL (English as a Second Language).
Financial Abuse or Exploitation
- Controlling how you spend money, where you work and what property you buy
- Spending all family income including your money or savings
- Using credit cards without your permission; destroying your credit rating
- Forcing you to turn over your benefit payments to him or her.
Spiritual Abuse
- Putting you down or attacking your spiritual beliefs
- Not allowing you to attend the church, synagogue, mosque or temple of your choice
- Forcing you to join or stay in a cult.
(Adapted from information provided by Education Wife Assault and the National Clearing House on Family Violence.)