According to the Center for Disease Control, intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as “violence or aggression that occurs in a close relationship,” which can include “current and former spouses and dating partners” as well.
IPV does not discriminate based on gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.
Unfortunately, intimate partner violence affects millions of people in the United States alone. Statistics show that about 1 in 4 women, and 1 in 7 men experience physical violence from a partner in their lifetime. For more information on intimate partner violence statistics, and ways to stop it before it starts, take a look at this fact sheet from the CDC.
There are some red flags that can be important to be aware of and notice if you or a loved one are experiencing IPV.
These red flags may not appear at first, because many abusers seem “perfect” at the beginning of a relationship, but as time goes on, certain things may catch your attention.
Some signs to be aware of within yourself, or to notice about your partner, to determine if you may be in a relationship with an abuser can include, but are not limited to:
- Feeling embarrassed or put down often by your partner
- Being kept away or having limited access to your friends and family
- Taking your money or refusing to give you money for your expenses
- Blaming you for their actions
- Threatening to hurt or kill you
- Hitting, punching, slapping, shoving, or pressuring you to have sex when you don’t want to
- Preventing you from working or going to school
- Telling you that you’re a bad parent or threatening to take your children away from you
If you find yourself experiencing any of these red flags or others, and you’re concerned that you might be involved in an abusive relationship, please call The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit this link for more red flags.
For counseling resources, the therapists at GROW Counseling would be honored to work with anyone who is currently involved in, or is a survivor of, intimate partner violence from their past.
Written by: Jasmine Tyson
