Know the signs of domestic violence

You might be experiencing domestic violence if your partner:

• Calls you names, insults you or puts you down.
• Often acts jealous or possessive.
• Tries to control how you spend money or your access to money.
• Tracks where you go, what you do online or who you talk to on the phone.
• Prevents you from going to work or school.
• Stops you from seeing family members or friends.
• Threatens to keep you from seeing your children.
• Gets angry or abusive when drinking alcohol or using drugs.
• Tries to control whether you can see a healthcare professional.
• Threatens you, your children or your pets with violence or a weapon.
• Hits, kicks, shoves, slaps, chokes or otherwise hurts you, your children or your pets.
• Forces you to have sex or engage in sexual acts against your will.
• Controls your birth control or demands that you get pregnant.
• Blames you for problems in the relationship or violent behavior, or tells you that you deserve it.

If you're gay, bisexual, transgender or gender diverse, you also may be experiencing domestic violence if your partner:

• Threatens to tell friends, family, colleagues or community members about your sexual orientation or gender identity without your consent.
• Tells you that leaving the relationship means you're admitting that gay, bisexual or transgender relationships are wrong.
• Justifies abuse by telling you that your gender identity or sexual orientation isn't "real."
• Tells you that law enforcement won't help a gay, bisexual, transgender or gender-diverse person.