Signs of an Abusive Relationship

In any given minute in the United States, nearly 20 people experience intimate partner abuse. In their lifetime, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been a victim to physical violence by their partner (source). Domestic violence and abuse within intimate relationships can lead to mental and emotional trauma, physical impairment, and even death due to the abuse. We tell you this because it is important for us to understand the true importance of recognizing abusive behavior patterns to try and prevent intimate partner abuse. To help you understand, here are some of the signs of an abusive partner according to ncadv.org (source):

• Extreme jealousy

• Possessiveness

• Unpredictability

• Bad temper

• Cruelty to animals

• Verbal abuse

• Extremely controlling behavior

• Antiquated beliefs about roles of women and men in relationships

• Forced sex or disregard of their partner's unwillingness to have sex

• Sabotage of birth control methods or refusal to honor agreed upon methods

• Blaming the victim for anything bad that happens

• Sabotage or obstruction of the victim's ability to work or attend school

• Controls all the finances

• Abuse of other family members, children or pets

• Accusations of the victim flirting with others or having an affair

• Control of what the victim wears and how they act

• Demeaning the victim either privately or publicly

• Embarrassment or humiliation of the victim in front of others

• Harassment of the victim at work

If you or a loved one have experienced any of these warning signs, you are not alone. There is help out there. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is operates 24 hours, 7 days a week. The phone number is 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) (source). Visit ncadv.org for more specific resources.

-Thrive Team