Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Warning signs of intimate partner abuse

With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA) is sharing some warning signs of intimate partner abuse.

One may feel:

• constantly put down or criticized by their partner
• that they are giving up things that are important to them, such as school, family or friendships
• often worried about their partner’s anger
• scared of their partner’s unpredictability
• they are scanning for when the next eruption of anger will come
• embarrassed for people to know how their partner treats them

Their partner may:

• want to make all the decisions
• try to control what their partner does, how they look, who they see and talk to
• read their partner’s emails, texts and calls to frequently check up on them
• manipulate with insults, guilt and/or threats
• prevent their partner from working, studying or socializing
• use money to control their partner
• threaten to hurt their partner, loved ones or themselves
• keep close track of where and what their partner is doing all times
• force their partner into unwanted sexual activity
• destroy partner’s property, threatens pets
• push, shove, slap, and/or hit their partner