Are you being abused?

Most people think that if physical violence is not being used then you cannot be a victim of domestic violence. Abusive behaviour is behaviour that inflicts hurt or injury through threats, punishment, intimidation or the humiliation of another. Abusive behaviours include the use of physical and sexual violence. Abusers can be very manipulative in the way they use their power and control over you and may blame you and other factors for their abusive behaviours.

The following are a few examples of different types of abusive behaviours:

EMOTIONAL ABUSE
Belittling, sulking, blaming you for the abuse, making you think you are crazy by denying the abuse, degrading, isolating you from family and friends, minimising the abuse

PHYSICAL ABUSE
Slapping, pushing, shoving, hitting, pinching, punching, grabbing, biting, kicking, using a weapon, burning, strangling, choking, throwing objects, holding down and ultimately murder

THREATS & INTIMIDATION
Threatening to hurt you, destroying objects that belong to you, threatening to kill you, standing over you, invading your personal space, threatening to kill themselves (and children)

FINANCIAL ABUSE
Controlling all the finances, making you account for every penny you spend, making all the major financial decisions.

SEXUAL ABUSE
Inappropriate and unwanted touching, unwanted sexual demands, hurting you during sex, pressurising you to have sex, sulking if they do not get sex, rape, having unsafe sex without your consent, not informing you of any sexually transmitted infections.

You don't have to experience all of these or all of the time to be a victim of domestic violence. Most victims experience some of these, the frequency and intensity varies.

There are some unhelpful myths about domestic violence against men. You can read about them here or you can find out how you can make yourself safer here.

Booklet for men experiencing domestic violence

We have published a new booklet specifically for men experiencing domestic violence. It's 30 pages in PDF format. You can download it below or you can call/email us for a free copy.

Men's Advice Line booklet for male victims