Types of Violence

• Verbal – name-calling, using put-downs, accusing, blaming, lying, yelling, accuses you of cheating, threatens to harm or kill you, threatens to commit suicide, says they are the only one that loves you, puts down your friends and family, tells you what to wear, tells you everything is your fault, tells you no one else will ever be interested in you
• Emotional – shows jealousy, embarrassing or humiliating you, controlling behavior, keeping tabs on you through frequent phone calls, e-mails, Instant Messaging, breaks your possessions, smashes things, destroys property, causes isolation by keeping you from spending time with others, tries to keep you from working or controls where you work, stalking
• Physical – hitting, slapping, biting, squeezing, punching, kicking, choking, pushing, shoving, shaking, twisting your arm, grabbing, pulling hair, spitting, burning, trapping you, hiding your car keys or money or sabotaging your car to keep you from leaving
• Sexual – forcing you to have sex against your will, rape, unwanted rough or violent sex, not letting someone use birth control (they intentionally try to get you pregnant so you are tied to them for years)
• Financial – if the victim is old enough to have a charge card, the abuser may tell the victim to put their name on it and they will run up high bills making the victim responsible for payment, making the victim pay for other things as well

Download Definition/Types of Violence Handout (Word Document)

Used with permission of the
Lindsay Ann Burke Memorial Fund
PO Box 1748
North Kingstown, RI 02852
www.labmf.org