Domestic violence is also referred to as intimate partner violence. It is a pattern of behaviors used by one person to maintain power and control over another person in an intimate relationship.
Domestic violence can be physical and/or psychological. Different types of abuse include but are not limited to physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, spiritual abuse, stalking, and technology abuse.
Domestic abuse can occur within households, in intimate relationships, and even against children.
Signs of abuse include:
- Being hit, pushed, strangled, kicked, or punched
- Having objects thrown at you
- Being isolated from loved ones
- Being yelled at
- Being pressured into having sex
- Having money or important documents withheld from you
- Being lied to
- Being controlled
- Being tracked or followed
You are not alone. According to the Center for Disease Control, about 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men have reported experiencing severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. In addition to this, over 43 million women and 38 million men have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Everybody deserves healthy relationships, and abuse is never the survivor’s fault.
If you think you or a loved one may be in an abusive situation, reach out. DVIS offers services for all survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence regardless of race, religion, sexuality, immigration status, age, etc.
Please call our 24-Hour Information and Crisis Line for more information: (918)-743-5763 or (918)-7HELP.ME
You can also get more information by texting our 8 PM-1 AM Text Line: Text SAFE to 207-777