Dating violence is any kind of abuse that takes place in a relationship or household. It can involve spouses, former spouses, lovers, ex-lovers, roommates or family members. Dating violence doesn't always involve physical abuse. It can take many forms including physical, psychological, sexual, and economic.
DEFINITIONS of ABUSE
Physical
Inflicting or an attempt to inflict physical pain including slapping, biting, hair pulling, hitting, stabbing, shooting, spitting, and withholding access to medication or medical care.
Emotional
Constant criticism, belittling someone's abilities and competency, name-calling and other attempts to undermine someone's self image and sense of self worth.
Psychological
Controlling access to friends, family, school or work. Forced isolation, intimidation, threats and blackmail could involve coercion such as threats of ending the relationship.
Sexual
Any exploitive or coercive, non-consensual sexual contact including martial and acquaintance rape; attacks on the sexual parts of the body; and treating someone in a sexually derogatory manner.
Economic
Attempts to make a person completely dependent on the abuser for money and economic survival.
Spiritual
Using person's faith against them... "God doesn't love you".