What is Abuse?
Information on types of abuse
There are 5 main types of abuse, namely:
1. Physical abuse:
- Being punched, slapped, kicked, tied up, beaten.
- Sustaining internal injuries.
- Being assaulted with objects, guns or knives.
- Being pushed around.
2. Sexual abuse:
- Unwelcome sexual advances and harrasment that is of a sexual nature.
- Being forced into sexual acts.
- Constant accusations of sexual infidelity.
- Constant verbal abuse, which focuses on sexual slurs e.g. slut, whore.
- Being forced to watch pornography and act out pornographic material.
- Being forced to have sexual intercourse with friends or colleagues.
3. Economic abuse:
- Prevented from getting or keeping a job.
- Being forced to hand over your salary.
- Forced to ask for money and /or to sign for debts or loans.
- Dealing with a partner or spouse who gambles all the household money.
- Working without remuneration.
- Deliberate damage to property or possessions.
- Not informing your partner or spouse that you have access to family income.
4. Emotional and verbal abuse:
- Enduring constant verbal abuse e.g. swearing and shouting.
- Being degraded publicly and privately.
- Being restricted to have relations with persons outside the home.
- Jealous and possessive tendencies and instilling fear into your partner or spouse.
- Being blamed for all your partner's or spouse's inadequacies.
- Having constant affairs outside the home.
- Using threats of violence.
- Sleep deprivation.
- Made to feel bad about yourself or guilty all the time.
- Being locked up in the home.
- Preventing or making it difficult for you to see friends or relatives.
- Monitoring phone calls and telling you where you can and can't go.
The content on this page was last updated on 3 June 2019