In 2018, according to Statistics Canada, police reported 13,896 victims of intimate partner violence. Of those victims, more than two thirds were women.
In order to help ourselves or those we love who may be experiencing abuse, we need to be aware of all the possible warning signs, even those which may not appear on a person’s body.
10 non-physical signs of intimate partner violence may include:
- Possessive, jealous and/or over-controlling behaviour
- A dislike of your family and friends; attempts to isolate you from your support network
- Blames you or others for their problems and mistakes
- Excessive calls and texts; cyber-stalking your social media accounts
- Imposition of their opinions and beliefs, and/or belittling your opinions and beliefs
- Following you on the street, especially when you are out with friends
- Attempts to humiliate you publicly and/or privately
- Verbal abuse towards you or others outside of the relationship
- Invasion of privacy and self-justification when caught
- Emotional manipulations; threats of self-harm or suicide if you leave the relationship
If you or someone you know are in distress, please reach out to one of the community organizations for violence prevention listed here.