Types Of Abuse

Abuse takes many different forms

Emotional Abuse

Any behavior that is designed to control another through the use of fear, humiliation, intimidation, guilt, manipulation, and invalidation is emotional abuse. Often individuals affected by emotional abuse are left with the deepest, longest, and most lasting wounds.

Physical Abuse

Any act of violence on/against the victim is physical abuse. It is the most obvious, the most visible, and the most lethal form of violence, the extreme being death. Examples of include: slapping, kicking, choking, pulling hair, shoving, punching, beating, burning, restraint (any form), throwing objects, use of weapons, etc.

Psychological Abuse

Psychological abuse ties in with Emotional Abuse. Psychological abuse is used by the abuser to wear the victim down, to undermine the victim’s self-concept, allowing over time for the victim to blame themselves. Psychological/Emotional abuse clears the path for Physical/Sexual abuse.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is any sexual encounter without consent and includes any unwanted touching, forced sexual activity, forcing the victim to perform sexual acts, and exploitation through photography or prostitution.

Economic/Financial Abuse

Occurs when the abuser denies the victim access to funds or, making the victim responsible for all finances while the abuser irresponsibly handles money.

Other examples of financial abuse include: prevention of attaining employment or school, having to account for any and all spent money, placing all bills in the victim’s name, denying purchases of personal hygiene products, etc.

Destruction of Property

Destruction of property occurs when someone destroys your personal belongings, your property, or pets. This is meant to instill fear, especially for your own personal safety. Many women have told us that when their partners destroy their property or hurt their pets, this a terrifying experience and that the message they receive is, “you’re next”.

If you would like more information of the types of abuse or to more clearly understand what is happening in your relationship, the provincial government has further information available at the following locations: www.gov.nl.ca/VPI/types/index.html and http://www.respectwomen.ca/formsofviolence.html.