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What is Domestic Abuse?
Domestic abuse, sometimes referred to as domestic violence or intimate partner violence, is a pattern of behavior in which one partner in an intimate relationship attempts to harm or injure, threatens to harm or injure, or does inflict harm or injury to the other party, their children, or their property. According to the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, "domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone."
What is the Cycle of Abuse?
The cycle of abuse has historically been used to help identify abusive patterns of behavior between intimate partners. In recent years, a new way of thinking about easily identifiable patterns of behavior has been used.
What is now known as the Narcissistic Abuse Cycle focuses on idealization and devaluation with transition stages in between. In the "idealization phase," the abuser focuses a lot of attention and energy on their partner. Psychologists describe this time as the abuser putting their partner on a pedestal. In the "devaluation phase," the abuser's affections change. Their partner is no longer seen as "perfect." Now, they are viewed as worthless. During this phase, there is frequently psychological, physical, and verbal abuse.
Between the idealization and the devaluation phases are points of transition. At these points, one or the other in the intimate relationship can take steps to stop the cycle of abuse. For the person being victimized, this can be hard to do without important resources and support.
What is Sexual Assault?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines sexual violence is sexual activity when consent is not obtained or freely given. It impacts every community and affects both sexes and people of all sexual orientations and ages. Anyone can experience or perpetrate sexual violence.
The perpetrator of sexual violence is usually someone the survivor knows. This can include a friend, current or former intimate partner, coworker, neighbor, or family member. Sexual violence can occur in person, online, or through technology. This includes posting or sharing sexual pictures of someone without their consent, or non-consensual sexting.
What is Stalking?
The Office for Victims of Crime defines stalking is a crime of power and control. It is a course of action directed at an individual that causes the victim to fear for their safety, and generally involves repeated visual or physical proximity, nonconsensual communication, and verbal, written, or implied threats. Research shows that victims of stalking are more likely to experience anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression compared to the general population.
Stalking is a crime in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the U.S. Territories, and the Federal Government. Each year, January is recognized as National Stalking Awareness Month in an effort to educate the public about serious—and at times deadly—crime of stalking.