What is Abuse?
Absolutely no one deserves abuse.
Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse can affect anyone of any race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic background or education level. If a person in a relationship, family or household is using violence or coercion to keep control over another person, then domestic abuse is happening.
At the start of a relationship, it can be hard to recognize behaviors that can become abusive later.
Some warning signs of an abusive partner include:
- Belittling, insulting or shaming you.
- Extreme jealousy.
- Controlling where you go and who you see.
- Discouraging you from seeing friends or family members.
- Taking your money or refusing to give you money for necessary expenses.
- Looking at you or acting in ways that scare you.
- Preventing you from making your own decisions.
- Telling you that you are a bad parent or threatening to harm or take away your children.
- Preventing you from working or attending school.
- Destroying your property or threatening to hurt or kill your pets.
- Intimidating you with guns, knives or other weapons.
- Pressuring you to have sex when you don’t want to or perform sexual acts you’re not comfortable with.
- Pressuring you to use drugs or alcohol.
Source: National Domestic Violence Hotline
If you have experienced any of the above, you are not alone and we are here to help.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault includes rape but is not limited to rape. Sexual assault is any sexual act or sexually- intended action that a person does without the consent of the other person. It can take many forms, but no matter what, sexual assault is not the victim’s fault.
Anyone of any background and circumstance can be the victim of sexual assault. What the victim was wearing, saying or doing has nothing to do with being assaulted—and none of that ever makes it the victim’s fault.
Forms of sexual assault include:
- Rape
- Marital rape
- Unwanted sexual touching
- Any sexual contact with a minor
- Incest
- Any unwanted sexual act or touching
It is estimated that 8 out of 10 sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows. Sexual assault can be perpetrated by a date, long-time partner, classmate, neighbor, friend’s significant other, stranger or anyone else.
Regardless of how the sexual assault happened or who committed the assault, what really matters is that we believe victims. We believe your story and trauma and will support you however we can.