Forms of Domestic Violence You Need To Know About

 

You can say that a person who is being physically abused in a relationship is a victim of domestic violence. However, physical abuse is just the most widely known type of domestic violence as well as the one with visible consequences such as cuts and bruises. There are man forms of domestic violence, which, more often than not, are not known to both victims and perpetrators.

Here are forms of domestic violence that everyone needs to know about.

Physical abuse

As stated above, physical abuse is the best known and most common form of domestic violence. A person can be accused of domestic violence when he or she bites, strangles, kicks, shoves, pinches, hits with an object, and pulls the hair of his or her spouse, partner, or offspring.

It’s also physical abuse when one restrains the other, or bodily forcing the victim to do something or go somewhere against his or her will.

Withholding physical needs like sleep, money, medicine, transportation, and food also constitute physical abuse.

Emotional abuse

When you criticize your spouse or children relentlessly or insult, humiliate, or call them names, you could be liable for emotional abuse. The one at the receiving end of emotional abuse often feels a severely diminished sense of self-worth after all the humiliation. Some even feel like all the verbal abuse has destroyed whatever remained of their self-esteem.

Psychological abuse

It’s one thing to be the subject of physical abuse. Being threatened with physical abuse over and over again is an entirely different thing. One may not be harmed physically, but intimidation with threats of harm and isolation is just as damaging. This is psychological abuse, and the threats don’t have to be directed at the victim. It could be against the victim’s property, or even his or her pets.

Trying to control every single aspect of a victim’s life may also be construed as psychological abuse.

Sexual Abuse

Marital rape is a real thing, and it’s the most common representation of sexual abuse as a form of domestic violence. A spouse who is being forced to have sex by his or her partner is a victim of sexual abuse. So are those who are being coerced into having sex with other people.

Sexual abuse does not stop with forced sexual contact.  There’s this thing called reproductive coercion, and it’s a legitimate subcategory of sexual abuse. In cases of reproductive coercion, a woman is being forced to either have sex without contraceptives or have an abortion against her will.

Spiritual abuse

One could be accused of spiritual abuse when he or she stops any member of the household from practicing his or her spiritual or religious beliefs. The same goes for forcing one’s religion on another.

Ridiculing a spouse, partner, or other members of the family for his or her faith also constitutes spiritual abuse. And if you decide to raise your kids in a religion without asking for consent from your partner or spouse, you could find yourself facing spiritual abuse allegations.

Economic or financial abuse

A person who perpetrates financial abuse typically takes full control of all family financial resources and limits his or her spouse’s access to them. In such a scenario, the perpetrator could be withholding money, credit cards, or even forcing his or her partner to turn over paychecks.

Financial abuse isn’t all about depriving a spouse or partner money. Actively doing something to get the victim fired from work, preventing him or her from getting a job, or even forcing one to work against his or her will is also considered as financial abuse.

Spreading awareness about the different forms of domestic violence is important, as most people don’t know whether anything they’re doing or experiencing that does not involve physical harm can be considered as such. Hopefully, the information listed above would be a good place to start.