How you can help others
In a respectful partnership, arguments or disagreements will occur, but both partners feel free to state their opinions, make their own decisions and feel safe to say no to sex.
In an abusive relationship, one partner controls the other through physical harm, criticisms, demands, threats, or sexual pressure.
The following are some signs that might alert you that someone you know may be experiencing domestic and family violence:
- You notice changes in their behaviour, or the behaviour of their children.
- They appear frightened or anxious.
- They seem afraid or nervous around their partner, or need to constantly ‘keep the peace’.
- They may have unlikely injuries or bruises or is often ‘not well’ or having ‘silly accidents’.
- They may miss work or cancel arrangements with short notice or vague excuses.
- Their partner controls all aspects of their life: – finances, friends, work and social life.
- Their partner may also be overly possessive or jealous.
- Their children seem fearful or on edge in their abusers company or at the mention of their name.
It can be hard to know what to do for the best, and often people are reticent to bring up what is often thought to be a very ‘private, family or intimate’ matter.
The following are some signs that might alert you that someone you know may be using domestic and family violence:
- You notice changes in their behaviour, or the behaviour of their partner or children.
- Their partner or children appear frightened or anxious.
- Their partner or children seem afraid or nervous around their partner, or need to constantly ‘keep the peace’.
- Their partner or children may have unlikely injuries or bruises or is often ‘not well’ or having ‘silly accidents’.
- They control all aspects of their partners life, ie finances, friends, work and social life.
- They are overly possessive or jealous of their partner.
- They display jealous behaviour.
- They display controlling behaviour.
- They isolate their partner.
- They are verbal abusive to their partner and/or children.
- They make threats of violence to their partner and/or children.
- They break or strike objects.
- They appear to have a dual personality ie Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
