An abusive relationship describes a relationship where one person consistently and constantly uses tactics to psychologically, physically, financially, emotionally, and sexually control and have power over another person. A relationship marked by domestic violence is a relationship where there is an imbalance of power. This kind of abuse usually involves verbal abuse, where the abuser systematically lowers your self-esteem by calling you names, criticizes you constantly, doesn’t show any trust, acts like you a possession, threatens you, and uses your children against you or threatens to hurt them, among other behaviors. Possessive behavior is a form of emotional abuse, but it can be accompanied by other forms of abuse. The actual acts of physical violence might seem like they are self-explanatory or too obvious to mention. But for people who grew up getting hit, they might not realize that this is not a normal, healthy behavior. The following are signs of physical abuse:  “Pulling your hair, punching, slapping, kicking, biting or choking you.”  Denying you the right to meet your basic needs, such as food and sleep. Breaking your belongings or things in your home, such as throwing dishes or punching holes in the walls. Threatening you with a knife or gun, or uses a weapon on you. Physically barring you from leaving, calling 911 for help, or going to the hospital. Physically abusing you or your children. Kicking you out of your car and leaving you in strange places. Driving aggressively and dangerously while you are in the car. Making you drink alcohol or take drugs. This kind of abuse encompasses any unwanted sexual activity. It includes “sexual coercion,” which makes you feel like you are being forced to have sex. It also includes “reproductive coercion,” which means not allowing you to have a choice in pregnancy. An abuser may control the way you dress, rape you, purposely give you a sexually transmitted disease, drug you or get you drunk to have sex with you, make you pregnant or terminate your pregnancy against your will, make you view pornography, and so on. Financial abuse can entail abusers preventing you from having your own money, even if you earned it. They might also take away your credit cards or they start a credit card in your name and ruin your credit history. Abusers also might move into your home and not contribute to paying any of the bills or expenses. They might also withhold money for your basic needs, such as prescriptions or groceries. Abusers utilize technology to threaten, stalk, bully, or harass you. They may use social media to send you harassing messages, or demand to know your passwords. Abusers will also insist you keep your cell phone on you at all times and answer his call the moment it rings.
تفطّني لتعريف الإيذاء. اعرفي كيف يكون الإيذاء العاطفي. افهمي كيف يبدو الاعتداء الجسدي. تعرفي على الإيذاء الجنسي. افهمي أبعاد الاستغلال المالي. فهم أشكال الإيذاء الرقمي.