Woman abuse is the intentional and regular use of tactics to establish and maintain power and control over the thoughts, feelings, beliefs and behaviours of a woman. It occurs in all socio-economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds. It can also happen within lesbian relationships. It is a misuse of power that manipulates the bonds of intimacy, trust and dependency to make the victim vulnerable.

Woman abuse can take many forms, including:

• Physical abuse: slapping, hitting, punching, biting, pulling hair, burning, use of weapons.
• Psychological and verbal abuse: threats, name calling, shouting, insults, neglect & isolation, withholding love, intimidation, extreme jealousy, threatening to commit suicide, stalking, controlling your time, what you do, or how you look, not respecting privacy.
• Sexual abuse: Any forced sexual contact, forced pregnancy or abortion, controlling information or access to birth control, pressure to perform sexual acts with other people.
• Financial abuse or exploitation: Withholding or controlling access to money, where to work, and what you buy, stealing or taking away benefit payments or personal money, preventing access to household financial information.
• Spiritual abuse: Putting down or attacking spiritual beliefs, denying access to temple, church or mosque, forced participation in a cult.
• Workplace violence and harassment: Verbal, written or physical harassment – sexual or otherwise – due to gender, race, sexual orientation or disability.

Copyright © 2011 London Coordinating Committee to End Woman Abuse. All Rights Reserved.