Is someone you care for being abused? Learn about the characteristics of power and control that define domestic violence so you can be a resource! Even victims of severe battering often do not name the relationship as abusive. This “relationship quiz” may help the person to understand what is happening:
Are You in an Abusive Relationship?
Does your partner:
- Act extremely jealous of others who pay attention to you, or use jealousy to justify his/her actions?
- Control your finances, behavior and even whom you socialize with?
- Make you afraid by using looks, actions, and gestures like smashing things, destroying your property or displaying weapons?
- Threaten to kill you or commit suicide?
- Make all the decisions?
- Stop you from seeing or talking to friends, family or limits your outside involvement?
- Shove, slap, or try to choke you?
- Act like hurting you is no big deal, it’s your fault or even deny doing it?
- Threaten to kill your pets?
- Put you down in front of other people, humiliate you, play mind games and make you feel as if you are crazy?
- Make you do sexual things you don’t want to do?
- Intimidate you with guns, knives or other weapons?
- Prevent you from getting or keeping a job?
- Take your money or does not let you know about or have access to the family income?
- Threaten to take the children away?
Do you:
- Become quiet when he/she is around and feel afraid of making him/her angry?
- Cancel plans at the last minute?
- Stop seeing your friends and family members, becoming more and more isolated?
- Find yourself explaining bruises to family or friends?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be in an abusive relationship. If you need to talk, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. If you live in Lancaster County PA, call the local hotline for Domestic Violence Services at (717) 299-1249.
For an extended version of this quiz or more information, go to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at
www.ndvh.org.
SAFETY ALERT: Computer use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you are afraid your home computer use may be monitored please use a safer computer to search for domestic violence information.
