Signs of an abusive relationship

There are many signs but one of the most obvious is fear. If you feel like you have to tread carefully around your partner or watch what you say or do in order to avoid arguments or abusive confrontations then this is a clear tell-tale sign that you don't have a loving and healthy relationship. To determine whether your relationship is abusive, answer the questions below. The more “yes” answers, the more likely it is that you’re in an abusive relationship.

Do you?

• feel afraid of your partner?
• avoid saying certain things in case you anger your partner?
• feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
• believe that you are to blame, or are overreacting or deserve to be abused?
• feel depressed, suicidal, helpless, emotionally numb?

Does your partner?

• physically abuse you? (e.g. this includes slapping, biting, kicking, hair-pulling, shaking, beating, pushing, punching, dragging, etc)
• lock you out of the house or leave you in dangerous areas
• refuse to help you when you need medical attention or are pregnant?
• yells and screams at you?
• stalk you and/or controls where you are and who you are with (e.g. constant phonecalls to find out where you are, etc)
• isolate you from your family, friends, work colleagues (e.g. you are not allowed to call or visit them, answer the door, receive mail, etc)
• threaten to kill you, your children, family and/or your pets?
• damage or destroy your property or belongings?
• humiliate, insult, criticize and put you down?
• act excessively jealous and possessive, and accuses you of having affairs?
• force you to have sex or treats you like a sex object and as his property?
• control your access to money for food, clothing, travel, etc?
• not allow you to work?
• lie to you or gives you false or witholds information?
• blame you for his own abusive behavior?
• threaten to commit suicide or harm your children or family if you leave?