GET INFORMED

Domestic Violence. Sexual Assault. Child abuse

 

Domestic Violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in a relationships that is used by one partner to gain or maintain control over another intimate partner. Many type of abuse include:

  • Physical abuse can include hitting, biting, slapping, battering, shoving, punching, pulling hair, burning, cutting, pinching, etc.

  • Sexual abuse occurs when the abuser coerces or attempts to coerce the victim into having sexual contact or sexual behavior without the victim's consent.

  • Emotional abuse often takes the form of constant criticism, name-calling, injuring the victim's relationship with his/her children, or interfering with the victim's abilities.

  • Economic abuse takes place when the abuser makes or tries to make the victim financially reliant; prohibiting the victim from going to school or work.

  • Psychological abuse involves the abuser invoking fear through intimidation; threatening to physically hurt himself/herself, the victim, children, the victim's family or friends, or the pets; destruction of property; injuring the pets; isolating the victim from loved ones; and prohibiting the victim from going to school or work.

  • Threats to hit, injure, or use a weapon are a form of psychological abuse.

  • Stalking can include following the victim, spying, watching, harassing, showing up at the victim's home or work, sending gifts, collecting information, making phone calls, leaving written messages, or appearing at a person's home or workplace.

Sexual violence is any type of unwanted sexual contact. This includes words and actions of a sexual nature against a person’s will and without their consent. A person may use force, threats, manipulation, or coercion to commit sexual violence.

Forms of sexual violence include:

  • Rape or sexual assault

  • Child sexual assault and incest

  • Sexual assault by a person’s spouse or partner

  • Unwanted sexual contact/touching

  • Sexual harassment

  • Sexual exploitation and trafficking

  • Exposing one’s genitals or naked body to other(s) without consent

  • Masturbating in public

  • Watching someone engage in private acts without their knowledge or permission

  • Nonconsensual image sharing

Child abuse or child maltreatment is physical, sexual, and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to act by a parent or a caregiver that results in actual or potential harm to a child and can occur in a child's home, or in the organizations, schools, or communities the child interacts with.