Everyone who is living in an abusive relationship experiences this in different ways. However, there are often patterns to abusive behaviours. This includes controlling, bullying and / or violent behaviour. The behaviour can be from your partner, ex-partner or close family member. If you are worried that you or a friend may be experiencing abuse then you could try working your way through our checklist below.

1. Does your partner or someone close to you criticise you, put you down or call you names?
2. Are you frightened about how your partner will react if you get into an argument?
3. Are you frightened of your partner when he or she has been drinking?
4. Has your partner ever hit you?
5. Does your partner complain about your friendships or family members or stop you from seeing them?
6. Does your partner ask you to do things you are uncomfortable with?
7. Are you ever worried that your children are seeing or hearing things they shouldn't be?
8. Has your partner ever forced you to have sex with him/her or with other people? Has he/she made you participate in sexual activities that you were uncomfortable with?
9. Has your partner ever kept you short of money so you are unable to buy food and other necessary items for yourself and your children?
10. Has you partner prevented you from continuing or starting a college course, or from going to work?
11. Does your partner constantly check up on you or follow you?
12. Has your partner ever tried to control you by telling you you could be deported because of your immigration status?
13. Has you partner ever threatened to take your children away or said he/she would refuse to let you take them with you, or even to see them, if you left him/her?

If you answered 'Yes' to any of the questions, give our helpline a call on: 03000 110 110 or email us: [email protected]