Domestic violence and sexual assault are two of the most common crimes.
- Approximately one-half of all couples experience at least one violent incident; in one-fourth of these couples, violence is a common occurrence.
- Thirty to forty percent of teenagers have experienced physical violence in their dating relationships.
- One in three females and one in six males will be sexually assaulted before the age of 18.
- 2-4 million American women are beaten each year by their husbands or boyfriends; 4000 of them are killed.
- In one-half of spouse-abusing families, the children are battered as well.
Defining Abuse
- Does your partner ever snoop into your personal belongings or violate your sense of privacy?
- Does your partner insult you; call you names, make you feel stupid or unworthy?
- Do you feel as if no one else would like you if your partner didn’t?
- Does your partner pretend he/she is doing you a favor by staying with you?
- Has your partner ever hit, slapped, pushed or kicked you?
- Has your partner broken or harmed your personal belongings to get a reaction out of you?
- Do you feel controlled or intimidated by your partner? Are you afraid of your partner blowing up?
- Has your partner pressured you sexually?
- Have you altered your normal activities so that you won’t upset your partner?
Red Flags
Extremely Jealous
Monitoring your movements/whereabouts
He/she doesn’t like anybody you like, or he/she criticizes you friends/family
Controlling
Possessive
Bossy
Calls frequently (four or five times a day) to be sure you are there
“Who are you talking to?”
Act as if any attention to another human being is flirting
Sulks when they don’t get their way
Seems childish, insecure
When something is important to you, they tune you out
He/she talks louder until he/she gets your undivided attention
Yells in your ear
Follows you around endlessly, repeating it over and over again
Makes you repeat it back to them to be sure you were listening
Makes you stop what you are doing to listen to him/her
He/she makes the rules—no flexibility
What he/she thought and felt—all important
He/she says, “We’ll get along fine as long as it goes my way.”
He/she says, “If you did what I said, I wouldn’t be getting mad”
He/she won’t admit when their wrong
Makes frequent accusations
Tells you how to dress, whether or not to wear make-up
Say’s things like “you belong to me”
Criticizes frequently