There are many types of abuse, but the common ones are physical abuse, psychological abuse, child abuse, domestic abuse, sexual abuse and stalking.
Physical abuse is any intentional and unwanted contact with you or something close to your body. Sometimes abusive behavior does not cause pain or even leave a bruise, but it's still unhealthy. Examples of physical abuse are:
Scratching, punching, biting, strangling or kicking.Throwing something at you such as a phone, book, shoe or plate.Pulling your hair.Pushing or pulling you.Grabbing your clothing.Using a gun, knife, box cutter, bat, mace or other weapon.Smacking your bottom.Grabbing your face to make you look at them.Grabbing you to prevent you from leaving or to force you to go somewhere.Psychological abuse includes:
emotional abuse
threats of harm or abandonment
deprivation of contact
humiliation
blaming
controlling
intimidation
coercion
harrassment
verbal abuse
cyber bullying
isolation
unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks
Neglect and acts of omission include:
ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs
failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services,
the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating
Sexual abuse includes:
rape
indecent exposure
sexual harrassment
inapropriate looking or touching
sexual teasing or innuendo
sexual photography
subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts
indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into
Domestic abuse includes:
psychological abuse
physical abuse
sexual abuse
financial abuse
emotional abuse
so called 'honour' based violence
Financial abuse can be very subtle — telling you what you can and cannot buy or requiring you to share control of your bank accounts. At no point does someone you are dating have the right to use money or how you spend it to control you.
Here are some examples of financially abusive behavior:
Giving you an allowance and closely watching what you buy.Placing your paycheck in their account and denying you access to it.Keeping you from seeing shared bank accounts or records.Forbidding you to work or limiting the hours you do.Preventing you from going to work by taking your car or keys.Getting you fired by harassing you, your employer or coworkers on the job.Hiding or stealing your student financial aid check or outside financial support.Using your social security number to obtain credit without your permission.Using your child's social security number to claim an income tax refund without your permission.Maxing out your credit cards without your permission.Refusing to give you money, food, rent, medicine or clothing.Using funds from your children's tuition or a joint savings account without your knowledge.Spending money on themselves but not allowing you to do the same.Giving you presents and/or paying for things like dinner and expecting you to somehow return the favor.Using their money to hold power over you because they know you are not in the same financial situation as they are.
You may be experiencing digital abuse if your partner:
Tells you who you can or can't be friends with on Facebook and other sites.Sends you negative, insulting or even threatening emails, Facebook messages, tweets, DMs or other messages online.Uses sites like Facebook, Twitter, foursquare and others to keep constant tabs on you.Puts you down in their status updates.Sends you unwanted, explicit pictures and/or demands you send some in return.Pressures you to send explicit video or sexts.Steals or insists to be given your passwords.Constantly texts you and makes you feel like you can't be separated from your phone for fear that you will be punished.Looks through your phone frequently, checks up on your pictures, texts and outgoing calls.Tags you unkindly in pictures on Instagram, Tumblr, etc.
Child abuse is when a parent or caregiver, whether through action or failing to act, causes injury, death, emotional harm or risk of serious harm to a child. There are many forms of child maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation, and emotional abuse.
You are being stalked when a person repeatedly watches, follows or harasses you, making you feel afraid or unsafe. A stalker can be someone you know, a past boyfriend or girlfriend or a stranger. While the actual legal definition varies from one state to another, here are some examples of what stalkers may do:
Show up at your home or place of work unannounced or uninvited.Send you unwanted text messages, letters, emails and voicemails.Leave unwanted items, gifts or flowers.Constantly call you and hang up.Use social networking sites and technology to track you.Spread rumors about you via the internet or word of mouth.Make unwanted phone calls to you.Call your employer or professor.Wait at places you hang out.Use other people as resources to investigate your life. For example, looking at your facebook page through someone else's page or befriending your friends in order to get more information about you.Damage your home, car or other property.
