Domestic violence and emotional abuse are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control another person.

Examples of domestic violence include:

• Isolating a partner from family and friends

• Stalking

• Intimidation

• Actual or threat to harm

• Withholding money or stopping a partner from getting a job

• Sexual assault

• Name calling, insults and put downs

Domestic violence takes many forms and can happen all the time or just once in a while. Victims can be any age, sex, race, culture, education, religion or marital status. Although both men and women can be abused, most victims are women. Children in homes where there is domestic violence are more likely to be abused and/or neglected. Most children in these homes know about the violence, and even if the child is not being physically harmed, they often will develop emotional and behavior problems.