Are you being abused?

CHECKLIST (provided by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence)

Look over the following questions. Think about how you are being treated and how you treat your partner. Remember, when one person scares, hurts or continually puts down the other person, it's abuse.

If you are being abused, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at: 1-800-799-7233

Does your partner…
__ Act extremely jealous of others who pay attention to you, or use jealousy to justify his/her actions?
__ Monitor where you go, who you call, and who you spend time with?
__ Call you names, insult you, or continually criticize you?
__ Put you down in front of other people, humiliate you?
__ Play mind games and make you feel as if you are crazy?
__ Stop you from seeing or talking to friends or family, or limit your outside involvement?
__ Prevent you from getting or keeping a job?
__ Make all the decisions?
__ Take your money or not let you have access to the family income?
__ Make you afraid by using looks, actions, and gestures?
__ Threaten to take away your children?
__ Break things, damage property, throw objects, punch walls, or kick doors?
__ Trap you in your home, or keep you from leaving?
__ Push, slap, bite, kick or strangle you?
__ Use physical force or intimidation in sexual situations?
__ Prevent you from calling for help, or seeking medical attention?
__ Act like the abuse is no big deal, it's your fault, or even denies doing it?
__ Blame drugs or alcohol for his/her abusive behavior?
__ Threaten to hurt or kill your pets?
__ Scare or threaten you with weapons?
__ Threaten to kill you or commit suicide? 
 
Do you…
__ Sometimes feel scared of how your partner will act?
__ Constantly make excuses to other people for your partner's behavior?
__ Believe that you can help your partner change if only you changed something about yourself?
__ Try not to do anything that would cause conflict or make your partner angry?
__ Always do what your partner wants you to do instead of what you want?
__ Stay with your partner because you are afraid of what your partner would do if you broke-up?If any of these are happening in your relationship, talk to someone. Without some help, the abuse will continue.

If you are being abused, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at: 1-800-799-7233

(Adapted from Reading and Teaching Teens to Stop Violence, Nebraska Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition, Lincoln, NE).