Domestic violence: How abusers use power to control victims
Nicole Perez
SAN ANTONIO – The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence details the ways abusers use power to control their victims. The San Antonio Police Department shares their information with victims or those at risk of domestic violence. Here are some of the definitions and examples of the tactics abusers may use:
WHAT IS VIOLENCE? Violence is not just hitting with a fist or getting hospitalized with an injury. It includes many different actions. Below is a list of different kinds of violence and some examples of each.
PHYSICAL VIOLENCE Any use of size, strength or presence to control or hurt someone else is physical violence. This can be divided into three parts.
Physical contact between people
Pushing
Shoving
Pinning against wall
Holding you against your will
Grabbing
Carrying you against your will
Slapping
Spanking
Punching with fist
Twisting arms
Hair pulling
Biting
Banging head on wall
Throwing you to floor
Throwing you to floor
Kneeing you
Strangling (choking you)
Kicking
Burning
Hitting you while pregnant
Backhanding
Standing, sitting on you
Attacking with object
Attacking with knife
Attacking with gun
Pushing you out of car
Trying to hit you with car
Forced sex
Physical use of objects
Throwing objects
Breaking personal items
Driving poorly to scare you
Slamming doors
Tearing clothes
Breaking car windshield
Punching walls
Sweeping things off table or dresser
Use of size or presence
Blocking doorway so you cannot leave
Standing behind car so you cannot leave
Taking the phone so you cannot call out
Taking car keys so you cannot leave
Clenching fist as if to hit you
VERBAL VIOLENCE This includes any use of words or voice to control or hurt another person
Yelling
Threats to use violence
Threatens to use violence against you or your family members
Being sarcastic
Threat to hurt kids
Threats to kill you
Threats to hurt pets
Calling you a whore, ugly, slut, fat, stupid, etc.