While most people default to physical abuse when they think about an abusive relationship, the reality is far more complicated.

Relationship abuse, which is also referred to as domestic abuse, domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, is a pattern of behavior used by one partner to maintain power and control over the other partner. There are many different forms of abuse, which include but are not limited to: physical abuse, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, religious abuse, and technological abuse.

Domestic violence can be hard to identify, especially for the actual victims, but there are clear warning signs that can help you determine if a partner’s behavior is abusive.

While different types of abuse manifest in different ways, there are a lot of commonalities in terms of the tactics abusive partners use. A few examples of these tactics are victim blaming, gaslighting, isolation from family members and friends, humiliation, manipulation, name-calling, and threats.

Being in an abusive relationship can tear down your self esteem and make you feel extremely isolated, but please remember you’re not alone and there are resources available to support you and help you safely escape if needed. Everyone deserves a safe and healthy relationship.

This abusive relationship quiz is designed to help you determine if a partner’s behavior is abusive. Regardless of the results, we highly recommend trusting your intuition and reaching out to resources, like the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) if you are experiencing or noticing red flags of abusive behavior.

If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.

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