Raising awareness of red flags for relationship violence. When you see a red flag, say something.
This campaign is organized by UA Student Support and Wellness, in conjunction with Violence Prevention and Response at MIT Medical.
Relationship abuse is defined as a repetitive pattern of behaviors to maintain power and control over an intimate partner. These are controlling and aggressive behaviors that physically harm, arouse fear, prevent a partner from doing what they wish or force them to behave in ways they do not want. Abuse is a spectrum of violence and includes verbal, emotional, physical, psychological, financial, or sexual abuse. Many of these different forms of abuse can be going on at any one time.
Domestic and dating violence can affect anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. It can happen in the context of marriage, living together, or dating and affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.
College students are at extremely high risk of either acting as a perpetrator or being a victim of relationship abuse during their college years.
1 in 3 college students report dating violence by a previous partner, and 1 in 5 report violence by a current partner. Source
Females ages 16 to 24 experience the highest per capita rates of intimate partner violence -- at a rate almost triple the national average. Source
More than half of all college students (57%) say it is difficult to identify dating abuse. Source
58% of college students say they don’t know what to do to help someone who is a victim of dating abuse. Source
38% of college students say they don’t know how to get help for themselves if they were a victim of dating abuse. Source
On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year. Source
1 in 4 women (24.3%) and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the United States have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Source
Nearly half of all women and men in the United States have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime (48.4% and 48.8%, respectively). Source
From 1994 to 2010, about 4 in 5 victims of intimate partner violence were female. Source
For more statistics, visit TheHotline.org and LoveIsRespect.org
Abusers will often place the blame of the abuse on the victim, making them feel like they deserve it.
Not all abuse is physical. Emotional abuse has many forms and can be just as damaging as physical and sexual abuse.
First year students are especially at risk for being targeted as they have not yet built a support network.
You may be experiencing physical abuse if your partner has done or repeatedly does any of the following tactics of abuse:
You may be in an emotionally abusive relationship if you partner exerts control through:
Sexually abusive methods of retaining power and control include an abusive partner:
Sexual coercion
Sexual coercion lies on the ‘continuum’ of sexually aggressive behavior. It can vary from being egged on and persuaded, to being forced to have contact. It can be verbal and emotional, in the form of statements that make you feel pressure, guilt, or shame. You can also be made to feel forced through more subtle actions. For example, an abusive partner:
Even if your partner isn’t forcing you to do sexual acts against your will, being made to feel obligated is coercion in itself. Dating someone, being in a relationship, or being married never means that you owe your partner intimacy of any kind.
Reproductive coercion is a form of power and control where one partner strips the other of the ability to control their own reproductive system. It is sometimes difficult to identify this coercion because other forms of abuse are often occurring simultaneously.
Reproductive coercion can be exerted in many ways:
Reproductive coercion can also come in the form of pressure, guilt and shame from an abusive partner. Some examples are if your abusive partner is constantly talking about having children or making you feel guilty for not having or wanting children with them — especially if you already have kids with someone else.
Economic or financial abuse is when an abusive partner extends their power and control into the area of finances. This abuse can take different forms, including an abusive partner:
Digital abuse is the use of technologies such as texting and social networking to bully, harass, stalk or intimidate a partner. Often this behavior is a form of verbal or emotional abuse perpetrated online. You may be experiencing digital abuse if your partner:
You never deserve to be mistreated, online or off. Remember:
It is never too late to get help. If you see a red flag in your own or someone else's relationship, there are tools and resources available to you.
MIT Resources
MIT Violence Prevention and Repsonse (VPR) at MIT Medical advocate hotline 617-253-2300 (24 hours a day)
Mental Health and Counseling Service at MIT Medical: 617-253-2916 (Days, 8:30 a.m.– 5 p.m.) 617-253-4481 (Evenings and overnight, 5 p.m.– 8:30 a.m.)
Urgent Care at MIT Medical: Call 617-253-4481 (24 hours a day) Walk-in 7 a.m.–11 p.m. every day of the year.
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