Is This Abuse?

Does your partner:
1. Act in ways that scare you?
2. Tease you in ways that hurt or embarrass you—when you’re alone or out in public?
3. Put you down or criticize you?
4. Hit, slap, push, kick, or restrain you?
5. Become jealous when you talk or visit with friends, family, or co-workers?
6. Try to control what you wear?
7. Always need to know where you’re going and when you’ll return?
8. Constantly call, drive by, or ask others to check up on you?
9. Blame you if they hurt you—either physically or emotionally?
10. Often get angry or moody, so you feel you’re “walking on eggshells”?
11. Do things that frighten you like throwing things or punching walls?
12. Often accuse you of cheating or seeing someone else?
13. Read your mail or go through your drawers or purse?
14. Check your phone to see who you’ve been talking to?
15. Make it hard to get or keep a job?
16. Keep control of all the household money?
17. Threaten to hurt you, your children, your pets?
18. Threaten to commit suicide or harm themselves if you leave?
19. Force you to have sex when you don’t want to, or in ways you don’t want to?
20. Ever cause you to think about calling—or call—the police because of violence or threats?

If you answered “A lot” or “Once in a While” to even one of these questions, chances are you’re dealing with abuse.

Check out our Resources to see how we can help. Call to talk about what’s going on in your relationship. Our free and confidential hotline number is 1.800.863.9909.

Take a look at the Power & Control Wheel. It was developed by people in a support group who recognized that they had experienced many of the same types of abuse. It helped them feel less alone. We hope it does that for you, too.

We’re here to help.

If you answered “Never” to these questions, your answers do not align with someone experiencing abuse.