If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, please call 888-554-2501 to reach our 24/7 crisis hotline.
What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic Violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by an abuser to gain or maintain control and power over his/her victim. The abuse may come in forms such as physical, isolation, sexual, economic/financial, emotional, and verbal. You do not have to be physically hurt to be the victim of domestic abuse. Domestic violence can result in physical injury, psychological trauma and in severe cases, death. The frequency and severity of domestic violence can vary dramatically; however, the one constant component of domestic violence is one partner’s consistent efforts to maintain power and control over the other.
Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence. Domestic violence affects individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality.
What are warning signs and red flags to help you determine if you are with an abuser? Does someone you love…
- Put you down?
- Call you names?
- Humiliate you?
- Threaten to hurt you or someone you love?
- Threaten your children?
- Hurt your pets and say they will do that to you?
- Punch the wall “to keep from punching you”?
- Keep you away from family and friends?
- Control what you do, who you see and talk to, what you read, and use “jealousy” to explain these actions?
- Slap or hit you? Hold you down? Choke you, pull your hair, or use a weapon on you?
Control is NOT love.
Please break the cycle by breaking the silence.
Tell someone NOW.
For help 24/7 please call The Safe Place Hotline at 1-888-554-2501 and speak to one of our advocates.
