What is Relationship Violence?
Violence in a relationship can take many forms, and generally progresses along a continuum from lower levels of violence to more significant levels of violence.
- Verbal violence includes such behaviors as name-calling, shouting, criticizing, making verbal threats, making derogatory comments in public or to your family and friends.
- Emotional violence may include behaviors such as ignoring your feelings, withholding approval or affection as punishment; making all decisions for you; attempting to control your actions – “keeping tabs” on you, always asking where you are and with whom you have been, frequent telephoning to find out where you have been; extreme forms of jealousy – accusing you of being unfaithful, or being attracted to someone else; tell you what to wear/not wear
- Sexual Violence includes calling a person sexually derogatory names, continued sexual advances after being told “no”, touching you in ways that make you feel uncomfortable, pushing you into performing sexual acts that make you uncomfortable, forced sex (rape).
- Physical Violence may initially include behaviors such as pushing, shoving, slapping, but progress to more violent actions such as pulling your hair, holding you to keep you from leaving, kicking or punching, restraining you with force, choking, throwing objects at you, threatening you with weapons, or using weapons against you.
Learn to recognize “lower” levels of violence, before violence progresses to more potentially lethal forms. Talk with a trusted friend, family member, or professional about what is happening, prioritize your own safety.
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