Domestic violence is a pattern of intentional intimidation for the purpose of dominating, coercing, or isolating another without his/her consent. Abuse tends to be cyclical in nature and escalates over time. By asking yourself the following questions and watching for the following signals you may evaluate the situation you are in:

Physical signals

* Does your partner ever hit, choke, slap, or otherwise physically hurt you? (Erotic power exchange scenes excluded)

* Has he or she ever restrained you against your will, locked you in a room or used a weapon of any kind?

* Are you afraid of your partner?

* Does your partner constantly or frequently criticize your performance, withhold sex as a means of control or ridicule you for the limits you do set?

* Do you feel obliged to have sex?

* Does your partner use sex to make up after a violent incident?

Isolation

* Does your partner isolate you from friends, family or groups?

* Does your partner prohibit you to take part in social events or activities?

Property

* Has your partner ever destroyed objects

* Has your partner ever threatened pets?

Economical

* Does your partner limit access to work or to material resources?

* Has he/she ever stolen from you or run up debts?

Emotional/Psychological

* Are you or your partner emotionally dependent on one another?

* Does your relationship swing back and forth between a lot of emotional distance and being very close?

* Is your partner constantly criticizing you, humiliating you, and generally undermining your self esteem?

* Do you feel you can not discuss with your partner what is bothering you?