Does a person who should love you...

• Threaten to hurt you or your children?
• Say it's your fault if he or she hits you, then promises it won't happen again (but it does)?
• Put you down in public?
• Hit you, throw you down, push, choke, kick, or slap you?
• Force you to have sex when you don't want to?
• Prevent you from going to school, or going to work?
• Keep you from seeing friends or family members?

These can all be signs of abuse.

Remember, no one has the right to physically or emotionally abuse you. Family violence is against the law.

If someone who should be loving you is treating you in any of these hurtful manners, you need to get help. You are not at fault. It is never all right for another person to hurt you in any of these ways.

To learn more:

Are You Being Abused?
(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

This is a short list of questions to help you tell if you are being abused. It includes national hotline numbers.

http://www.acog.org/About_ACOG/ACOG_Departments/Violence_Against_Women/Are_
you_Being_Abused.aspx

Profile of an Abuser
(My Sister’s House, Inc.)

This page from a women’s shelter Web site, gives you the characteristics of an abuser, as well as the typical responses to the abuser by the victim.

http://mysistershouse.org/domestic-violence/profile-of-an-abuser/

next » How does family violence affect my children?

Written by: Laura Cousineau, M.L.S.
Reviewed by: Jim Hernandez, L.M.S.W.
Last Modified: Friday December 07, 2012 1:01 PM