Domestic violence is physical violence, sexual violence, emotional abuse, or stalking carried out by a current partner, a former partner, or a household member. Domestic violence can happen to anyone at any time regardless of age, race, religion, culture, or socioeconomic class.
You are being physically abused if somebody…
- Pushes or shoves you
- Hits or slaps you
- Pulls your hair
- Kicks of punches you
- Restrains you with force
- Chokes/strangles you
- Throws objects at you
- Abandons you in a dangerous place
You are being emotionally abused if somebody…
- Wants to control all of your actions
- Withholds approval, appreciation, or affection as punishment
- Continually criticizes you, calls you names, and/or shouts at you
- Makes all decisions for you
- Humiliates you in public or private
- Subjects you to reckless driving
- Ridicules your most valued beliefs, your religion, race, or heritage
- Manipulates you
- Gaslights you
You are being sexually abused if somebody…
- Touches you in ways that make you feel uncomfortable
- Forces you to have sex against your will
- Makes demeaning remarks about your gender
- Forces you to take off your clothing
- Calls you sexual names
- Pressured you to get pregnant
- Hid, destroyed, or tampered with your birth control
- Pressured you to have sex
- Treats you as an object based on your gender identity or sexual orientation
- Insists that you dress in a more or less sexual way than you want to dress
- Sends you an unsolicited nude picture or sexual text
- Posts or shares nude pictures of you without your consent
- Makes you feel like you can’t say no
- Refused to wear a condom
You are being financially abused if somebody…
- Does not allow you to work when you want to
- Forces you to work
- Does not give you access to money that you are earning
- Will not allow you to work, but refuses to give you money for basic essentials such as hygiene products, school supplies, or groceries
- Takes out loans or credit cards in your name without your knowledge or consent
- Forces you to sign tax documents you know to be untrue
You are being stalked if somebody…
- Tracks your location through digital apps
- Follows you to and from different places
- Keeps tabs on your daily life
- Repeatedly calls your phone or messages you
- Damages your belongings (car, home, or other property)
- Monitors your phone or technology devices (whether it be through spyware or the device itself)
- Threatens to hurt you, your friends, your family, your pets, or your oved ones
- Drives by or lingers around your home, work, school, or other places that you frequently visit
You are being spiritually abused if somebody…
- Does not allow you to go to church
- Forces you to practice a religion or forces you to adopt their religious beliefs
- Forces you to go to church
- Does not allow you to practice or express your religious beliefs
- Uses religious texts to threaten you or as a justification for hurting you or your loved ones
If you are experiencing domestic or sexual violence, you can reach out to DVIS at the 24-Hour Crisis Line by calling (918)-743-5763 or (918)-7HELP.ME. You can also contact us through our 8PM-1AM text help line by texting SAFE to 207-777
If you are thinking about leaving an abusive relationship, help is available and you have a right to healthy relationships regardless of your gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, immigration status, age, or race. We believe you.