RELATIONSHIP: PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ABUSE

BY: HASSEL ANTUNEZ

WHAT IS RELATIONSHIP ABUSE?•RELATIONSHIP ABUSE IS A PATTERN OF ABUSIVE AND COERCIVE

BEHAVIORS USED TO MAINTAIN POWER AND CONTROL OVER A FORMER OR CURRENT INTIMATE PARTNER.• THIS CAN INCLUDE THREATS, ISOLATION, AND INTIMIDATION.

WHY DO VICTIMS STAY?• THEY GET THREATEN TO GET KILLED OR GET HURT IF THEY LEAVE• LOW SELF ESTEEM• EMPTY PROMISES• LACK OF SUPPORT SYSTEMS• THEY DON’T HAVE NO ONE TO HELP THEM• THE VICTIM FEELS TO FRIGHTENED, CONFUSED, AND EVEN EMBARRASSED

TO LEAVE

DIFFERENT TYPES OF RELATIONSHIP ABUSE•EMOTIONAL•VERBAL•PHYSICAL•SEXUAL •FINANCIAL•MENTAL

WHAT IS PHYSICAL ABUSE?• PHYSICAL ABUSE IS ANY INTENTIONAL UNWANTED CONTACT

WITH THE OTHER PERSON’S BODY. PHYSICAL ABUSE DOES NOT HAVE TO LEAVE A MARK OR A BRUISE.

EXAMPLES:• SCRATCHING• CHOKING• KICKING• USING A WEAPON• PULLING HAIR• BITING

• Pushing• Burning• Shoving• Strangling• Punching

• Slapping• Pinching

WHAT IS MENTAL ABUSE?• MENTAL ABUSE, ALSO REFERRED TO AS EMOTIONAL ABUSE OR

PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE, IS A FORM OF ABUSE CHARACTERIZED BY A PERSON SUBJECTING OR EXPOSING ANOTHER TO BEHAVIOR THAT MAY RESULT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA, INCLUDING ANXIETY, CHRONIC DEPRESSION, OR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER] SUCH ABUSE IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH SITUATIONS OF POWER IMBALANCE, SUCH AS ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS. BULLYING, AND ABUSE IN THE WORKPLACE.

WARNING SIGNS!!EXTREME JEALOUSYCONSTANT PUT-DOWNSTELLING THE OTHER PERSON WHAT TO DOHAS AN EXPLOSIVE TEMPERTHREATSPOSSESSIVENESSPREVENTING THE OTHER PERSON FROM DOING WHAT HE OR SHE WANTS TO DO.SEVERE MOOD SWINGSMAKING FALSE ACCUSATIONS ABOUT THE OTHER PERSONHISTORY OF VIOLENCEISOLATING THE OTHER PERSON FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDSSEEKING FINANCIAL CONTROL OVER THE OTHER PERSON

WHAT ARE SOME EFFECTS OF THIS?• LOSS OF APPETITE • FEAR• TERROR• DEPRESSION• SHAME• MISTRUST OF ONE SELF AND OTHERS • SELF-BLAME

IS THIS CONSIDERED ABUSE? IF SO, WHAT TYPE?“WE HAVE BEEN DATING

FOR 6 MONTHS AND WE HAVEN'T HAD SEX, IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME? OUR OTHER FRIENDS SAY THEY USUALLY HAVE SEX AFTER A FEW WEEKS.”

DO YOU HAVE TO GO TO YOUR

FRIENDS B-DAY PARTY, I WANTED TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU THIS

WEEKEND, I SHOULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN

YOUR FRIENDS

I love you so much that I don’t want to live without you. I’ll kill myself if you leave.

I didn’t mean to hurt you; You made me

upset; You deserved it!

You are such an idiot, that’s why I

have to make all the decisions!

Sexual coercion and peer pressureMinimize, deny, & Blame

Threats

Anger/Emotional Abuse &

Social Status

Isolation

FRIENDS DO’S AND DON’TSDO:• ASK IF SOMETHING IS WRONG• EXPRESS CONCERN • LISTEN AND VALIDATE• OFFER HELP • SUPPORT HIS OR HER DECISIONS

DON’T• WAIT FOR HIM AND HER TO COME

TO YOU• JUDGE OR BLAME • PRESSURE HIM OR HER• GIVE ADVICE • PLACE CONDITIONS ON YOUR

SUPPORT

DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!

•GO TO A SAFE PLACE -REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE SITUATION•GET HELP - CALL POLICE, FRIEND, FAMILY

IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE POLICE TO ARREST THE ABUSER AND WILL ESCORT YOU TO A SAFER PLACE•TALK TO SOMEONE AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON!•THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT YOUR SITUATION - YOU MAY THINK YOU

CAN HANDLE IT … BUT THINK TWICE TO BE SURE. •DON’T LET IT BE TOO LATE TO GET HELP!

VIDEOS:

• HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=YMIHF__SM6O• HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=R_LWQJPLD-8• HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=3AH-RXME1RU• HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=OM8PZXSQ1V4

WORK CITED:• BURLEIGH, NINA L. "A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT'S NIGHTMARE: DATING

VIOLENCE." - PHYSICAL ABUSE, REAL PEOPLE STORIES : PEOPLE.COM. PEOPLE MAGAZINE, 10 SEPT. 2007. WEB. 20 MAY 2014.• PAINTER, KIM. "TEEN DATING ABUSE IS COMMON AND COMPLEX, STUDIES

SAY." USA TODAY. GANNETT, 31 JULY 2013. WEB. 21 MAY 2014.• SMITH, MELINDA. "DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE." : SIGNS OF ABUSE AND

ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS. HELP GUIDE, 12 FEB. 2014. WEB. 20 MAY 2014.