What are the signs of domestic violence/abuse?

Destructive criticism and verbal abuse: shouting/mocking/accusing/name calling/verbally threatening

Pressure tactics: sulking, threatening to withhold money, disconnect the telephone, take the car away, commit suicide, take the children away, report the victim to welfare agencies unless they comply with demands regarding bringing up the children, lying to
friends and family about the victim, telling them that they have no choice in any decisions

Disrespect: persistently putting the victim down in front of other people, not listening or responding when they talk, interrupting their telephone calls, taking money from them without asking, refusing to help with childcare or housework

Breaking trust: lying to them, withholding information from them, being jealous, having other relationships, breaking promises and shared agreements

Isolation: monitoring or blocking telephone calls, telling them where they can and cannot go, preventing them from seeing friends and relatives

Harassment: following them, checking up on them, opening their mail, repeatedly checking to see who has telephoned them, embarrassing them in public

Threats: making angry gestures, using physical size to intimidate, shouting them down, destroying their possessions, breaking things, punching walls, wielding a knife or a gun, threatening to kill or harm them and the children

Sexual violence: using force, threats or intimidation to make the victim perform sexual acts, having sex with them when they don’t want to have sex, any degrading treatment based on their sexual orientation

Physical violence: punching, slapping, hitting, biting, pinching, kicking, pulling hair out, pushing, shoving, burning, strangling 

Denial: saying the abuse doesn’t happen, saying the victim caused the abusive behaviour, being publicly gentle and patient, crying and begging for forgiveness, saying it will never happen again