Abuse

24-Hour LINKLine

Call or text: 1-800-897-LINK (5465)

What is Abuse?

Abuse—often called domestic violence, intimate partner violence, battery, or relationship violence—is a pattern of behaviors used by one person to gain or maintain power and control over another in a family or intimate relationship. Abuse can take many forms, including:

  • Physical
  • Emotional or Psychological
  • Sexual
  • Financial
  • Digital/Technological
  • Spiritual
  • Stalking

It can also involve controlling behaviors, like isolating someone from friends and family, monitoring their movements, or limiting access to money and resources.

Who Can Experience Abuse?

Anyone. Abuse affects people of every race, gender, age, sexual orientation, social status, and religion.

Questions about abuse

Some common warning signs include (but are not limited to):

  • Physical injuries or unexplained bruises
  • Fear of the partner or family member
  • Withdrawal or sudden behavior changes
  • Low self-esteem or self-blame
  • Isolation from friends and family
  • Control over money or resources
  • Sexual coercion or assault
  • Verbal insults, belittling, or name-calling

Abuse is harmful because it undermines the core elements of a healthy relationship—mutual respect, trust, and shared decision-making. It takes away a person’s ability to make their own choices, eroding their sense of safety, independence, and well-being. 

Abuse can impact every part of a person’s life. Abuse can isolate someone from friends, family and community support making it harder to find safety or healing. It can disrupt daily life– impacting a person’s ability to work, attend school or care for themselves and their loved ones. 

For families, the effects of abuse can be especially devastating. Children who witness abuse, even if they are not directly harmed, often experience emotional distress, fear and confusion. Exposure to abuse can affect their development, behavior and sense of stability. Over time, these experiences can contribute to generational trauma where the impacts of abuse can be passed down, shaping how future generations experience safety, trust and connection. Abuse doesn’t just harm an individual– it creates ripple effects that impact families, communities and entire generations. 

If you’re wondering whether your relationship is abusive or just “bad,” the most important thing to remember is:

If someone is hurting, controlling, or manipulating you, you deserve better.

People who use abuse in their relationship commonly:

  • Believe they have the right to control their partner.
  • Justify their harmful behavior.
  • Blame their partner for the relationship’s problems.
  • Manipulate systems (like police, courts or child services) to maintain control.

Sometimes, both partners may engage in harmful behaviors, but abuse is about patterns of power and control—not isolated incidents.

  • Mutual abuse is often a myth used to minimize harm.
  • In most cases, one person is the primary aggressor, using abusive tactics to maintain control.
  • Understanding context, intent, and impact is key to identifying who holds the power in the relationship.

If you’re worried about how you’re treating your partner or family member — or if someone has told you your behavior is causing harm — help is available. Taking responsibility and seeking support is a courageous first step toward building healthier, safer relationships.

  • Call the LINKLine (1-800-897-LINK / 5465) for confidential support and connection to local resources
  • Link to Utah’s certified offender intervention programs, Coming Soon, Call the UDVC LINKLine for providers in your area. 
  • Many approved providers offer grants or sliding fee scales to help reduce costs for individuals and families.

Programs are available to help you:

  • Recognize & understand patterns of abusive behavior and the motivations behind those behaviors
  • Learn skills for managing conflict, emotions and to work toward repairing relationships with those who have been impacted by your behaviors
  • Build skills to engage in relationships based on respect, safety, and accountability

Remember: Support is available for everyone — including those ready to make positive changes.

TYPES OF ABUSE

Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is any intentional use of physical force to cause fear, injury, or harm.

Examples could include:

  • Hitting, slapping, punching, kicking, biting
  • Shoving, pushing, or restraining
  • Strangling, choking or restricting your ability to breathe in any way
  • Using weapons or objects to inflict harm
  • Preventing someone from seeking medical care

Sexual abuse involves any unwanted sexual activity, coercion, or manipulation.

Examples could include:

  • Forcing or pressuring someone into sexual acts
  • Engaging in sexual activity without consent
  • Withholding sex as punishment or control

Emotional abuse damages a person’s self-worth or emotional well-being.

Examples could include:

  • Name-calling, belittling, constant criticism
  • Humiliating someone in private or public
  • Blaming the victim for the abuse
  • Gaslighting (making someone question their reality)

Psychological abuse uses fear, threats, and manipulation to control.

Examples could include:

  • Threatening harm to the victim, loved ones, or pets
  • Isolating the person from friends and family
  • Minimizing or denying the abusive behavior
  • Making the person feel “crazy” or unstable
  • Withholding mental health care or medication

Financial abuse controls a person’s access to money or resources, limiting independence.

Examples could include:

  • Controlling how money is spent
  • Preventing or sabotaging someone from working or accessing education
  • Stealing or misusing credit or financial accounts
  • Forcing someone to hand over paychecks or benefits

Digital abuse misuses technology to monitor, harass, or control.

Examples could include:

  • Monitoring phone, email, or social media without consent
  • Using GPS or smart devices to track someone’s location
  • Cyberstalking or impersonating the person online
  • Harassing through texts, emails, or social media

Spiritual abuse manipulates or controls someone using their beliefs.

Examples could include:

  • Ridiculing or insulting someone’s religious or spiritual beliefs
  • Preventing participation in spiritual practices
  • Using religious beliefs to shame, guilt, or control

Stalking is repeated, unwanted attention that induces fear.

Examples could include:

  • Following or showing up uninvited at home, work, or school
  • Sending excessive, unwanted texts, calls, or messages
  • Monitoring someone’s activities or whereabouts through others or online

Reproductive coercion is a form of abuse where one partner controls the other’s reproductive choices.

Examples include:

  • Sabotaging birth control (hiding, damaging, or refusing to use contraception)
  • Pressuring or forcing pregnancy or abortion decisions
  • Threatening harm if the partner doesn’t comply with reproductive demands

Need Help?

Abuse—often called domestic violence, intimate partner violence, battery, or relationship violence—is a pattern of behaviors used by one person to gain or maintain poYou are not alone.

Contact Us

For business inquiries:
Office: 801-521-5544
Fax: 801-521-5548
Email: admin@udvc.org

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Get Help

If you or someone else is in danger, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Call our free and confidential 24-hour LINKLine: 1-800-897-LINK (5465). (If LINKLine advocates are experiencing an increased call volume, calls will be forwarded to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.)

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*Please be aware that by state law all UDVC staff are mandated reporters. Click HERE to learn more about mandatory reporting. To report child abuse or neglect, click HERE. To report vulnerable adult abuse/neglect, click HERE.