What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence.
Abuse can take many forms. Battering may include emotional, economic, physical and/or sexual abuse, manipulation, isolation, and a variety of other behavior used to maintain fear, intimidation and power.
Acts of domestic violence may fall into one or more of the following categories:
Emotional Abuse: This form of abuse can include verbal and emotional abuse, harassment, name calling threatening harm or violence, threatening suicide, controlling the victim’s activities and relationships, excessive possessiveness, isolation from friends and family, deprivation of physical and economic resources, and destruction of personal property.
Physical Abuse: The abuser’s aggressive behavior can range from bruising to murder and can include punching, pushing, biting, slapping, pinching, kicking and choking. Initial abusive behavior may seem trivial but can and does escalate into more frequent and serious attacks.
Sexual Abuse: Physical abuse can be accompanied by, or can culminate in, sexual violence, including any forced sexual activity. Examples of sexual abuse include unwanted touching or fondling, accusations of unfaithfulness, sex after violence, physically attacking genitals and unwanted sexual intercourse.