Violence within a romantic relationship is defined as any physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse of one partner by the other. Disagreements and fighting occur in every relationship, however, domestic violence is about controlling and overpowering one partner by the other. It may be challenging to recognize due to the nature of being in a relationship with the abuser. If your partner has any or all of the following traits, it may be a sign that you are in an abusive relationship:

– Tries to control everything you do

– Attempts to isolate you from friends and family

– Has inappropriate and unpredictable reactions to everyday things

– Exhibits violent behavior toward animals, children or others

– Is jealous and domineering

– Says things like, “If you really loved me…” and “You are nothing without me”

If your first instinct is that something is wrong in your relationship, trust it. For help with domestic abuse issues, contact the 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline at 414-933-2722.