What is Domestic Violence?

The legal definition is: Inflicting or attempting to inflict physical injury on an adult or minor by other than acciden-tal means, placing an adult or minor in fear of physical harm, physical restraint, or malicious damage to the per-sonal property of the abused party. More importantly, it is the use of abuse to control and maintain power over your partner, such as:

• Physical Abuse…Hitting, slapping, punching, shov-ing, threatening to harm or kill wife/partner, children, self.
• Emotional Abuse...Putting your wife/partner down, making her feel bad about herself, making her think she is crazy, making feel guilty, threatening to take children.
• Verbal Abuse…Calling her names, using profanity to upset her, not taking her concerns seriously, mak-ing her afraid by using looks, gestures and actions.
• Sexual Abuse...Sexually assaulting her, marital rape, forcing her to have sex against her will, using pornog-raphy in the relationship.
• Economic Abuse...Preventing her from getting or keeping a job, making her ask/beg for money, taking her money.
• Property Abuse...Breaking furniture, doing damage to your home, smashing her possessions, selling her belongings.
• Isolation...Controlling what she does, who she sees and talks to, controlling where she goes, limiting out-side activities, not allowing her to be with her family.

Where would I get information about or assistance with:

• Legal Assistance
• Orders of Protection
• Shelters
• Women’s Support Groups
• Individual Counseling
• Women’s Advocacy
• Children’s Services
• Referrals for Housing
• Employment
• Education

Contact your local women’s shelter advocacy program.
In the Knoxville area call:
YWCA — 865-523-6126
Family Crisis Center 24-Hour Hotline — 865-637-8000

In other counties, contact the local law enforcement agency for the local telephone number.

The National Domestic Violence Referral Service numbers are: 1-800-799-7233 Or 1-800-356-6767