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Live Without Fear

  • Two people educating a class on domestic violence and sexual assault.

Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Can Take Many Forms

Are you wondering if you’ve been abused?

What Is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is a pattern of learned behavior in which one person uses assaultive and controlling behaviors against another (an intimate partner) to maintain power and control. This can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and stalking. Violence can occur in any kind of relationship: marriage, dating or same sex. It can also take many forms and can happen all the time or once in a while.

Examples of abuse include:

  • Verbal name-calling or put-downs
  • Keeping a partner from contacting their family or friends
  • Withholding money
  • Stopping a partner from getting or keeping a job
  • Actual or threatened physical harm
  • Sexual assault
  • Stalking
  • Intimidation

If you are being abused, please remember it is not your fault. You don’t deserve this, and no matter how scary it is, you are not alone. HAVEN is here to help.

What Is Sexual Assault?

Sexual assault is any nonconsensual sexual contact. These acts may include coercion (being persuaded or manipulated into having sex) or acquaintance rape (being forced to have sex by someone known or familiar).

Rape knows no boundaries. Victims of sexual assault come from all walks of life, all economic classes, all ethnic backgrounds and all age groups, male and female.

If you have been raped or sexually abused, please remember it is not your fault. You don’t deserve this, and no matter how scary it is, you are not alone. HAVEN is here to help.

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