HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS
PARTNERSHIPS·        
  • Joint decision making
  • Shared responsibilities
 DOMINATION·        
  • Abuser decides
  • Servant/Master
EMOTIONAL HONESTY
  • Feel safe to admit and share fears and
    insecurities
 EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION
  • Use jealousy, passion, stress &
    frustration to justify actions
SEXUAL RESPECT·        
  • Accept that “no” means “no”
 SEXUAL ABUSE·        
  • Force partner to do things against
    his/her will.
PHYSICAL SAFETY·        
  • Respect partner’s physical space
  • Express self non-violently
 PHYSICAL ABUSE
  • Hit, choke, kick, pinch, pull hair, poke,
    twist arms, trip, bite, retrain, use weapons
SUPPORTIVE & TRUSTING
  • Listen and understand
  • Value partner’s opinions
 CONTROLLING
  • Name calling, mind games
  • Isolate partner from friends, loved ones
REPESPECTFUL
  • Respect right to differing feelings,
    friends, and activities
  • Support partner’s goals
 INTIMIDATING
  • Charming in public, menacing in private
  • Destroying property or pets
  • Making light of abuse:  “You’re too
    sensitive”
*Adapted from “Don’t Die for Love – STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,”
from Women’s Work, Public Arts Program of Liz Claiborne, Inc.
Patterns of verbal, psychological and physical abuse often escalate,
resulting in personal assault, rape, domestic or dating abuse, even murder.
Relationships - Healthy vs Abusive
Women's Personal Safety Network
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Information That's NOT
Just for Women Only!
Copyright© 2008 WPSN
For crime prevention tips,
click on one of these links.
partner violence, click on this link to go to the
article "Understanding Intimate Partner
Violence" by
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Injury Prevention and
Control, 1-800-CDC-INFO
www.cdc.gov/injury • cdcinfo@cdc.gov.

Resources:
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233), 1-800-787-3224
TTY, or www.ndvh.org

National Coalition Against Domestic
Violence
www.ncadv.org

National Sexual Violence Resource Center
www.nsvrc.org
couple and as individuals.  Every relationship will experience disagreements or cranky moments but it is how
the couple handles these situations that will determine the health and longevity of the relationship.  In this
healthy future.

Healthy or Abusive - the characteristics of a safe and healthy relationship vs. an abusive relationship
Power & Control - recognizing the various behaviors that may indicate that you are in an abusive relationship.