Domestic Violence

Abusers often use sexual assaults and/or harassment as a tool against their partner. It can be difficult for victims and survivors of sexual assault to discuss this form of abuse. Mid-Valley Women's Crisis Service encourages survivors and their supporters to become aware of the patterns of sexual abuse. The following is a list of sexually abusive behaviors:

• Abuser jokes about women and sex in the presence of the victim
  
• Looks on women as sex objects
  
• Pretends to be extremely jealous
  
• Minimizes the victim's feelings and needs regarding sex

• Criticizes the victim in sexual terms
  
• Touches the victim against the victim's wishes (molestation)
  
• Withholds sex and affection
  
• Attaches sexual labels to the victim: "slut", "whore", "frigid"

• Always demands sex
  
• Forces the victim to undress as a form of humiliation (this may be in front of the children in the home)
  
• Abuser is promiscuous with others
  
• Forces the victim to witness his sexual acts with others

• Uses threats to back up his demands for sex
  
• Forces the victim to have sex with him or others
  
• Forces sex after beating the victim

• Abuser uses objects and/or weapons in sexual acts
  
• Sadism, mutilation
  
• Murder