What Is Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, 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.

Domestic violence is not a disagreement, a marital spat, or an anger management problem. Domestic violence includes  abusive, disrespectful, and hurtful behaviors that one partner chooses to use against the other partner to degrade and humiliate the partner.

If you are a victim of abuse, you are never to blame. It is not your fault.

Please take a look at our shelter services and outreach programs. Havasu’s  Faith and Grace programs are confidential and most are provided free of charge.

Our shelters provide refuge and help to women and children regardless of their race, religion, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation or disability.

You may be experiencing domestic violence if your partner is doing any of these or other unwanted behaviors:

• Hurting you physically – slapping, hair pulling, strangling, hitting, kicking, grabbing, excessively squeezing or shaking, twisting your arms, burning you, or intentionally injuring you in any way
• Using your children against you
• Calling you names and hurting you emotionally
• Harming your pets
• Acting with extreme jealousy and possessiveness
• Isolating you from family and friends
• Threatening to commit suicide or to kill you
• Controlling your money
• Withholding medical help
• Stalking you
• Demanding sex or unwanted sex practices
• Discounting the destructive behavior
• Controlling you with “that certain look in his eyes” or certain gestures