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Identifying Abuse

What is the Cycle of Abuse?

Domestic abusers repeat these four stages over and over, trapping victims | This story was originally published in 2014. It was updated in 2022. Domestic violence oft... read more
What to Do If Your Teen or Adult Child Is Abusive

When a grown child abuses a parent, things can get complicated. Here’s what to know. | There’s a type of domestic violence or family violence that often gets overlooke... read more
AirTags Can Track Belongings, Also People

This tiny technology can be dangerous when stalkers and abusers hide it on a victim | When Apple released its new quarter-sized AirTag tracking devices last year for t... read more
You Ask, We Answer: Domestic Violence FAQs

Answers to your top questions about domestic abuse and intimate partner violence | DomesticShelters.org has been helping and supporting domestic violence victims, surv... read more
Limiting Abortion Rights Keeps DV Victims in Danger

As women lose the right to bodily autonomy, survivors of domestic violence know even rape exceptions may not help them | Update: On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court ov... read more
10 Tactics of Coercive Control, Torture Within a Family

The abuser strives for absolute power over all aspects of adult and child victims’ lives | Coercive control and the severe abuse professionals refer to as “torture” ca... read more
Profile of an Abuser

Is it possible to spot an abuser before you get involved? | This article was originally published in 2014. It was updated in 2022. No one ever plans to venture ou... read more
Will Domestic Abuse Happen Again?

How to tell if your partner has really changed or if they’re likely to abuse again | This piece was originally published in 2016. It was updated in 2022. Perhaps you... read more
Sex and Homicide Risk in Relationships with Domestic Abuse

Learn how abusers who use sex to control can indicate later dangerousness—and what to do about it | Most domestic abusers do not kill their partners. But some do. Psyc... read more
The Connection Between Cults and Domestic Violence

What studying cults can teach us about control and victim shaming | Hearing the phrase “drank the Kool-Aid” is like nails on a chalkboard to clinical psychologist Patr... read more
Is Mutual Abuse Real?

The term is most often used as a manipulation or victim-blaming tactic | Mutual abuse—a term to describe two partners are mutually abusive against each other—is rare a... read more
What Are Grey Rape and Stealthing?

These forms of sexual abuse have sinister definitions and dangerous consequences | This article was updated in 2022. The original was published in 2017. Stealthing an... read more
Three Hidden Signs of Physical Abuse

Knowing about these three “hidden” signs of abuse can help medical professionals recognize domestic violence victims | Healthcare professionals are on the frontlines o... read more
What Is Spiritual Abuse?

A comprehensive guide to recognizing this type of domestic violence, also called religious abuse | Spiritual abuse, also called religious abuse, has multiple meanings.... read more
Netflix's "Maid" Highlights Truth About Domestic Violence

The 6 things the show got right, and one thing it got wrong | Netflix’s Maid is the 10-episode fictional drama released in October, based on Stephanie Land’s 2019 memo... read more