Warning Signs of Domestic Abuse

To help identify domestic violence, the following indicators are listed. Any single characteristic is not a sign of trouble, but several combined would be grounds for further investigation.




The abused woman:

• shows guilt, ambivalence, and fear over living conditions.
• feels isolated and untrusting of others, even though she may be involved in the community.
• is emotionally and economically dependent.
• has a poor self-concept (this may not have been true BEFORE the relationship).
• has observed other women in her family being abused or may have been abused as a child.
• feels angry, embarrassed, and ashamed.
• is fearful of being insane.
• has learned to feel helpless and feels powerless.
• has unexplained injuries that may go untreated.

The abusive man:

• shows extreme jealousy and wants to keep the woman isolated.
• has an inability to cope with stress and shows a lack of impulse control. (This may not necessarily appear outside the home)
• has a poor self-image and blames others for problems.
• shows severe mood swings.
• may have a history of abuse in his own family and may have been abusive in courtship.
• presents a history of personal and/or family discord; unemployment, cruelty to animals, abuse of alcohol or other substances, and other unexplained behavior.