Domestic Violence and Dating Violence

Dating and domestic violence, often referred collectively along with other forms of violence as intimate partner violence, is a patern of physical, emotional, verbal, and/or sexual violence perpetrated by one partner in a romantic relationship toward the other partner.

Physical abuse may include:

• Hitting
• Shoving
• Punching
• Biting
• Intimidation
• Use of weapons

Emotional abuse may include:

• Threats
• Humiliation
• Isolation

Verbal abuse may include:

• Name calling
• Put-downs
• Screaming

Sexual abuse may include:

• Unwanted touching/groping
• Forced sex or sexual behaviors
• Pressure to have sex

The abuse does not go away. In fact, intimate partner violence gets worse as the relationship continues. There may not be violence present at all times; but there is a distinct pattern of tension, escilation, and violence, which may or may not be followed by a period of good times. Eventually, however, the violence will surface back again.

Consult the section on what to do if you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship.