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Red Flags Of Abuse

Symptoms of Abuse - Threats; Power Misuse; and Control
What symptoms below fit your life?

Using Emotional Abuse

·         Putting the other down

·         Making the other feel bad about themselves

·         Calling the other names

·         Making the other think they are crazy

·         Playing mind games

·         Humiliating the other

Making the other feel guilty

Using Privileges

  • Treating the other like a servant
  • Making all the big decisions
  • Acting like the master of the castle

Being the one who determines the roles

Using Economic Abuse

·         Preventing the other from getting or keeping a job

·         Making the other ask for money

·         Giving the other an allowance

·         Taking the other's money

Not letting the other know about or have access to family income

Using Coercion and Threats

·         Making or carrying out threats to do something to hurt the other

·         Threatening to leave the other, to commit suicide, report the other to welfare

·         Making the other drop charges

Making the other do illegal things

Using Intimidation

·         Making the other afraid by using looks, gestures, or actions

·         Smashing things

·         Abusing pets

Displaying weapons

Using Children

·         Making the other feel guilty about the children

·         Using the children to relay messages

·         Using visitation to harass the other

Threatening to take the children away

Using Isolation

·         Controlling what the other does, who they see and talk to, what's read, and where they go

·         Limiting their outside involvement

Using jealousy to justify actions

Minimizing, Denying, Blaming

·         Making light of the abuse and not taking the other's concerns about it seriously

·         Saying the abuse never happened

·         Shifting responsibility for abusive behavior

Saying the other caused it

HAS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?

Does your partner:

* Blame everyone else especially you, for his or her mistakes?
Yes___ No___

* Prevent you from seeing your family or friends?
Yes___ No___

* Curse you, say mean things, mock you or humiliate you?
Yes___ No___

* Force you to have sex or force you to engage in sex that makes you feel uncomfortable?
Yes___ No___

* Restrain, hit, punch, slap, or kick you?
Yes___ No___

* Intimidate or threaten you?
Yes___ No___

* Ever prevent you from leaving the house, getting a job, or continuing your education?
Yes___ No___

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be in an abusive relationship. Contact

your local Women's Shelter or your local Law Enforcement Agency.

If you know someone who is being battered:

·         Believe her, and keep what she tells you confidential.

·         Let her know she is not to blame for the abuse; she is not responsible for it and does not deserve it.

·         Take the time to talk with her privately and ask about suspicious bruises or fights that you know about. She needs to tell her story in her own time and at her own pace.

·         Help her make safety plans for herself and her children. It could save their lives

·         Validate her feelings; she may feel hurt, angry, afraid, ashamed or trapped. She may love the abuser.

·         If you suspect that abuse is occurring, call 911. Assault is a crime.

·         Make strong statements against violence in your social circles and in support of victims building violence-free, autonomous lives.

·         Give her information about local resources; the Portland Women’s Crisis Line phone number is 235-5333; the Portland Police Domestic Violence Reduction Unit number is 823-0961.

·         Offer to assist her in keeping safe by letting her stay with you, if possible, or keeping documents, money, a packed suitcase for her, or identifying a code word that she can use to signal the need to call the police on her behalf.

·         If appropriate, talk to her children about what they are seeing and feeling. Help them make plans to be safe.

If you know someone who is battering:

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