inMotion - What is domestic violence?

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Domestic violence

Types of domestic abuse

Ways abusers exert power and control

Hide your Internet tracks

Where else to turn for help

What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive or threatening behavior used by one person against an intimate partner or family member to gain power and control over the victim.

Domestic violence can happen to anyone
Partners can be married or not married, living together, separated or dating. Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any age, income, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender.

Recognize signs of abuse
Abusive partners use physical and sexual violence, threats, intimidation, emotional abuse and economic deprivation to enforce control and maintain power in a relationship. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone.

Move your mouse over the graphic below to learn more about different forms of domestic abuse and the tactics batterers commonly use to maintain power over and control of their victims. ⁽¹⁾

If you are in immediate danger

Call 911

NYC Domestic Violence Hotline

800.621.HOPE (4673)

National Domestic Violence hotline

800.799.SAFE (7233)

Where else to turn for help

Computer use can easily be monitored. It is impossible to completely clear your Internet tracks or entirely hide your activities on your personal computer. The only safe way use a computer or to access the Internet is on a computer that your abuser does not have access to. Learn more.

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Types of domestic abuse
Ways abusers exert power and control over their victims

Get help

If you are being abused, talk to someone who can help. A domestic violence advocate can help you take the first steps to develop a safety plan to protect you and your family. Planning for your safety is an important process. It is important whether you are staying in the relationship, if you are leaving the relationship, or if you have already left the relationship.

If you are in immediate danger
Call 911

NYC Domestic Violence Hotline
1.800.621.HOPE (4673)

National Domestic Violence hotline
1.800.799.SAFE (7233)

Other NYC crisis hotlines

Where else to turn for help

⁽¹⁾ About the Power & Control Wheel used on this web site
The Power and Control Wheel, often refered to as the Duluth Model, was originally developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project after interviewing groups of domestic violence survivors in support groups and men in batterers groups. The women were asked to identify the ways in which they felt they were controlled, and the men were asked to identify what tactics they used to maintain an environment of fear and control. This variation on The Duluth Model, which also speaks to the experiences of battered immigrant women, is based on The Power and Control Wheel variations created and published by the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence and Life Span.

	Interactive wheel designed by Joe Meiring and Elizabeth Zimmerman, bottlerocket.

	Flash developed by Drew Ziegler, Royal Bodega.

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Last updated 08/28/2008