In reading various posts I thought it might be a good idea to reaffirm the forms of abuse and to clarify for those who do not know what the signs of abuse are. There is so much information on the web today and most of it is right on the money, just google it.

Here are other forms of Domestic Violence and abuse, and their warning signs.

Verbal-


Verbal abuse includes withholding, bullying, defaming, defining, trivializing, harassing, interrogating, accusing, blaming, blocking, countering, diverting, lying, berating, taunting, putting down, discounting, threatening, name-calling, yelling and raging.

Emotional-

Rejecting, ignoring, terrorizing, isolating, denial and blame. Will use any kind of tactic to wear the abused down. Emotional or psychological abuse can be verbal or nonverbal. Its aim is to chip away at your feelings of self-worth and independence. If you*re the victim of emotional abuse, you may feel that there is no way out of the relationship, or that without your abusive partner you have nothing. Emotional abuse also includes verbal abuse. Isolation, intimidation, and controlling behavior also fall under emotional abuse. Additionally, abusers who use emotional or psychological abuse often throw in threats of physical violence.


Additionally, abusers who use emotional or psychological abuse often throw in threats of physical violence.


Mental-

Mental abuse is usually a culmination of verbal and emotional. When we think of its long-term effects; Verbal, Emotional, and Mental combined; the resulting issue is- Domestic Violence. A person doesnt have to beat us physically to be abused.

Financial-

This is where the spouse will withhold finances to control. The abuser will often demand to know what the money that was given was spent on. Which can erupt into an episode of abuse (in one form or another) when the abuser does not accept the answer. The abuser will think the victim is lying. The abuser controls all the finances (i.e. credit cards, pay checks, welfare checks, bank accounts, any source of income). The abuser will do this in order to further control the victim and how much time is spent away from the home.

These are just a few forms of Domestic Violence.

Additionally, abusers who use emotional or psychological abuse often throw in threats of physical violence.


Mental-

Mental abuse is usually a culmination of verbal and emotional. When we think of its long-term effects; Verbal, Emotional, and Mental combined; the resulting issue is- Domestic Violence. A person doesnt have to beat us physically to be abused.

Financial-

This is where the spouse will withhold finances to control. The abuser will often demand to know what the money that was given was spent on. Which can erupt into an episode of abuse (in one form or another) when the abuser does not accept the answer. The abuser will think the victim is lying. The abuser controls all the finances (i.e. credit cards, pay checks, welfare checks, bank accounts, any source of income). The abuser will do this in order to further control the victim and how much time is spent away from the home.

These are just a few forms of Domestic Violence.

Domestic Violence is a continual cycle. Imagine a merry-go-round that never stops unless you stop it. As in the picture above, it begins with a build up of tension (abuser starts with little things, picking on the victim for no reason for example), and works up to having total control over the victim. By this time anger has mounted until there is an explosion.
The victim is led to believe it is their fault and begins to feel guilty for having caused the onslaught of abuse from the abuser. This is the Remorse Stage, in which both the abuser and the victim under go in different ways. Where the victim is led to believe it is their fault, the abuser tends to minimize the victims feelings about the abuse, stating to the victim that is their fault, the victim provoked the abuser, and thus giving the victim a guilt trip that it is their fault.
In the Pursuit Phase of Domestic Violence, the victim is led with promises that it will never happen again, feelings of helplessness often surface, while the abuser is threatening to do it all over again if the victim doesnt comply with the abusers wishes. Threats of physical violence, either against the victim, and/or children (if there are any), or possibly hurting themselves.
The Honeymoon Phase is where the abuser will apologize, and will give gifts to the victim. Everything is appears to be okay but underneath the surface lurks the anger and resentment. Sometimes the abuser will do this simply to placate the victim into submission, but the cycle continues as depicted in the picture. The victim by this time is often confused. Should the victim stay and endure? Or should the victim leave and try to make it on his/her own? Victims often display not only confusion but also a lot of guilt. Guilt that they have done something wrong to warrant the abuse when in fact they havent. Low self-esteem is a common emotion in Domestic Violence victims.
The only way to break the cycle is to leave, and commit oneself to leaving for good. Yes it is hard; yes there may be obstacles along the way. There may be serious repercussions as a result of the victim leaving the abuser, but it can be done.