Signs of an Abusive Relationship

Your Inner Feelings and Thoughts

Do you :

• fear your partner a large percentage of the time?
• avoid certain topics out of fear of angering your partner?
• feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
• ever think you deserve to be physically hurt or mistreated?
• sometimes wonder if you are the one who is crazy?
• feel afraid that your partner may try to hurt or kill you?
• feel afraid that your partner will try to take your children away?
• feel emotionally numb or helpless? 
• think that domestic violence seem normal to you?

Your Partner’s Violent
or Threatening Behavior

Has your partner ever:

• had a bad and unpredictable temper?
• hurt you, or threatened to hurt or kill you? 
• threatened to take your children away, especially if you try to leave?
• threatened to commit suicide, especially as a way of keeping you from leaving?
• forced you to have sex when you didn’t want to?
• destroyed your belongings or household objects?

Your Partner’s Controlling Behavior

Does your partner:

• try to keep you from seeing your friends or family?
• make you embarrassed to invite friends or family over to your house?
• limit your access to money, the telephone, or the car?
• act excessively jealous and possessive?
• try to stop you from going where you want to go or doing what you want to do?
• check up on you, including where you've been or who you've been with?

Your Partner’s Belittlement of You

Does your partner:

• verbally abuse you?
• humiliate or criticize you in front of others?
• often ignore you or put down your opinions or contributions?
• blame you for their own violent behavior?
• objectify and disrespect those of your gender?
• see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?