According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 10 million people deal with some sort of physical abuse every year in the United States.
Women between 18 and 24 are most likely to face abuse and only 34% of victims receive medical care.
Domestic violence hotlines receive an average of 20,000 phone calls every day.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline defines domestic violence as "a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship." That would include behaviors that physically harm, arouse fear, prevent a partner from doing what they want or, alternatively, force them into doing things they don't want to do. According to the hotline's website, these specific behaviors could include the use of physical and sexual violence, threats and intimidation, emotional abuse and economic deprivation.
Here are some signs of an abuse partner, according to the domestic violence hotline:
- They tell you that you can never do anything right
- They show extreme jealousy of your friends and time spent away
- They keep you or discourages you from seeing friends or family members
- They insult, demeans or shames you with put-downs
- They control every penny spent in the household
- They take your money or refuse to give you money for necessary expenses
- They look at you or act in ways that scare you
- They control who you see, where you go, or what you do
- They prevent you from making your own decisions
- They tell you that you are a bad parent or threaten to harm or take away your children
- They prevent you from working or attending school
- They destroy your property or threaten to hurt or kill your pets
- They intimidate you with guns, knives or other weapons
- They pressure you to have sex when you don’t want to or do things sexually you’re not comfortable with
- They pressure you to use drugs or alcohol
If you need help, the Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233. You can also chat with a specialist online.
