OVERVIEW
Domestic violence is an “equal opportunity offender”. It can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.
Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive and coercive behaviors including physical, sexual, and psychological attacks, as well as economic coercion that adults or adolescents use against their intimate partners.
Domestic violence can take many forms, including physical abuse, psychological, emotional, verbal and financial abuse, sexual violence and isolation. Laurel House staff members and volunteers are trained to help victims of all types of domestic violence.
Does your partner:
- Embarrass you with bad names and put downs?
- Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
- Control what you do, who you see or talk to, or where you go?
- Stop you from seeing or talking to friends or family?
- Take your money or Social Security, make you ask for money, or refuse to give you money?
- Make all the decisions?
- Tell you you’re a bad parent, or threaten to take away or hurt your children?
- Act like the abuse is no big deal, it’s your fault, or even deny doing it?
- Destroy your property or threaten to kill your pets?
- Intimidate you with guns, knives or other weapons?
- Shove you, slap you or hit you?
- Force you to drop charges?
- Threaten to commit suicide?
- Threaten to kill you?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you may be in an abusive relationship.
Help, support and information are available to you through Laurel House. Please call our confidential, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-642-3150.