Know the Warning Signs of Abuse

• Constantly criticize, humiliate, or insult their partner
• Control what their partner does, who they see and talk to, what they read, where they go
• Ignore or dismiss their partner's opinions, feelings, or accomplishments
• Blame their partner for their own abusive behaviour
• See their partner as property or a sex object, rather than as a person
• Act excessively jealous and possessive
• Prevent their partner from working or attending school
• Control all the money and make their partner ask for it
• Intimidate their partner with threatening looks, actions, or gestures
• Threaten to hurt their partner, the children, other family members, or pets
• Threaten to take the children away or report their partner to child welfare services
• Threaten to commit suicide if their partner leaves
• Use physical force such as hitting, shoving, grabbing, slapping, choking, or kicking
• Force their partner to have sex or perform sexual acts they are not comfortable with
• Destroy their partner's belongings or household items
• Limit their partner's access to family, friends, or community supports

• Feel afraid of your partner much of the time
• Avoid certain topics out of fear of angering your partner
• Feel that you can't do anything right for your partner
• Believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated
• Wonder if you're the one who is 'crazy'
• Feel emotionally numb or helpless
• Avoid seeing friends and family because of your partner
• Have limited access to money, the car, or the phone
• Feel humiliated or put down by your partner
• Be blamed for your partner's violent behaviour
• Have been threatened by your partner
• Have been physically hurt by your partner

• There is a history of violence in the relationship
• There is a history of violence in the family of origin
• There is alcohol or drug abuse in the relationship
• There is a history of mental health problems
• The abuser has access to weapons
• The abuser has threatened to kill their partner, themselves, or others
• The victim is pregnant
• The victim is trying to leave the relationship
• There is financial stress in the relationship
• There is social isolation

Please take these warning signs seriously.