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What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is a pattern of power and control behavior that one person exercises over another.

Cycle of Violence

Physical Violence is any physically aggressive behavior; withholding of physical needs (interrupt sleep or meals, deny help if sick), indirect physically harmful behavior, threat of physical violence (to others, to children) or destruction of property.

Physical violence includes:
· Pushing
· Shoving
· Kicking
· Slapping
· Punching
· Choking
· Biting
· Hitting
· Burning
· Stabbing
· Shooting, etc
· Holding hostage

Sexual Violence is the use of sex in exploitative fashion or forcing sex on another person. Consent in past does not indicate current consent.
Sexual violence includes:

Unwanted touching or abuse of genitals or breasts
Rape with objects
Offensive statements of another's sexuality or body
Forced sexual relations with others, including prostitution
Can be pressured, forced and/or coerced

Psychological abuse includes:

Verbal Abuse:

Name calling, cursing and threats
Derogatory or demeaning comments

Emotional Abuse:

Exploits vulnerability or character
Insulting or criticizing
Forcing victims to perform humiliating acts
Threats to harass, harm, or kill the victim or victim's family
Telling the victim he/she is mentally unstable/incompetent
Intimidation
Degradation
Consistently disregarding, ignoring or neglecting the victim's requests & needs
Using actions, statements or gestures that attack the victim's self-esteem

Other Forms Include:

Neglect
Denial of basic human needs - food, clothing, shelter, medical attention, or personal hygiene
Economic Deprivation: control income, cause her to lose job, spend money on non-essentials
Destruction of property or pets
Isolation

Locking victim in the home
Providing no access to a car or telephone
Not allowing contact with friends and family

Use of children to control adult victim

Note: When we talk about domestic violence, we often use "she" when referring to the victim. We do this because women are the target in 85% of all intimate partner violence.
This does NOT mean that all men are abusive, that men are not abused, that women are not abusive, or that domestic violence does not occur in same-sex relationships.

*Domestic violence services are funded, in whole or in part from federal and state funds provided by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services through a contract with Kentucky Domestic Violence Association.