What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is physical, emotional, or sexual abuse by your current (or past) partner.

Domestic violence:

• Happens to people of all ages, races, income levels, and faiths
• Is about getting control over another person
• Can result in serious injuries and life-long disabilities
• Happens to people who are or have been dating, living together, or married
• Happens over and over again, even if the abuser promises it will not
• How does it affect my baby if I am abused while I am pregnant?
• Your baby could be at risk for brain damage, injuries like broken bones, and slow growth.
• Your baby would also hear, react and feel the violence you experience.

How do I know if I am really in an abusive relationship? Does your partner:

• Embarrass you?
• Call you names or put you down?
• Shove you, slap you, kick you, or hit you?
• Say “I’m sorry,” but then does it again?
• Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
• Say it is your fault, or blame you or others for everything?
• Control what you do, who you see or talk to, or where you go?
• Stop you from talking to friends or family?
• Take your money or refuse to give you money?
• Tell you that you are a bad parent?
• Threaten to take away or hurt your children?
• Destroy your property or threaten to kill your pets?
• Threaten to kill himself or herself?
• Threaten to kill you?

 Reproductive Coercion: https://www.bedsider.org/features/252-abuse-by-birth-control-sabotage 

If you answer “yes” to one or more of these questions, you are probably in an abusive relationship.