Type of Abuse
| Examples
|
| Destructive Criticism/Verbal
Abuse
| Name-calling; mocking; accusing; blaming; yelling;
swearing; making humiliating remarks or gestures
|
| Pressure Tactics
| Rushing you to make decisions through "guilt-tripping"
and other forms of intimidation; sulking; threatening to withhold money;
manipulating the children
|
| Abusing Authority
| Always claiming to be right (insisting statements
are "the truth"); telling you what to do; making big decisions; using
"logic."
|
| Disrespect
| Interrupting; changing topics; not listening or
responding; twisting your words; putting you down in front of other people;
saying bad things about your friends and family
|
| Abusing Trust
| Lying; withholding information; cheating on you;
being overly jealous
|
| Breaking Promises
| Not following through on agreements; not taking
a fair share of responsibility; refusing to help with child care or
housework
|
| Emotional Withholding
| Not expressing feelings; not giving support, attention,
or compliments; not respecting feelings, rights or opinions
|
| Minimizing, Denying &
Blaming
| Making light of behavior and not taking your concerns
about it seriously; saying the abuse didn't happen; shifting responsibility
for abusive behavior; saying you caused it
|
| Economic Control
| Interfering with your work or not letting you work;
refusing to give you money or taking your money; taking your car keys or
otherwise preventing you from using the car; threatening to report you to
welfare of other social service agencies
|
| Self-Destructive Behavior
| Abusing drugs or alcohol; threatening suicide or
other forms of self-harm; deliberately saying or doing things that will have
negative consequences (e.g., telling off the boss)
|
| Isolation
| Preventing or making it difficult for you to see
friends or relatives; monitoring phone calls; telling you where you can and
cannot go
|
| Harrassment
| Making uninvited visits or calls; following you;
checking up on you; embarrassing you in public; refusing to leave when
asked
|