Tactics Of Control

Using Emotional Abuse   * Putting you down * Making you feel bad  about yourself * Calling you names * Making you think  you're crazy * Playing mind games * Humiliating you * Making you feel guilty

Using Children * Making you feel guilty about the children * Using the children to relay messages * Using visitation to harass you * Threatening to take the children away

Using Male Privilege * Treating you like a servant * Making all the big decisions * Acting like the "Master  of the Castle" * Being the one to define men and women's roles

Using Economic Abuse * Preventing you from getting or keeping a job * Making you ask for money * Giving you an allowance * Taking your money * Not letting you know about or have access to family income

Using  Isolation * Controlling what you do, who you talk to and see, what you read, and where you go * Limit your outside involvement * Using jealousy to justify actions

Minimizing, Denying, Blaming * Making light of the abuse and not taking your concerns about it seriously * Saying it didn't happen * Shifting responsibility for abusive behavior * Saying you caused it

Using Coercion & Threats * Making or carrying out threats to do something to hurt you * Threatening to leave you, commit suicide, or report you to welfare * Making you drop charges * Making you do illegal things * Using intimidation *Making you afraid by using looks, gestures, or actions * Smashing things * Abusing pets * Displaying weapons