Intimate partner violence, sometimes called teen dating violence or domestic violence, is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship.
An intimate partner is a person's boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, partner or lover.
Intimate partner violence may include different kinds of abuse.
Physical abuse may include hitting, kicking, punching or other kinds of physical violence.
Emotional abuse may not include physical violence, but it can be equally as harmful.
When someone is abused emotionally, they may be called names, humiliated, yelled at or made to feel intimidated.
The abuser may try to control the other person by telling them what to do, what to wear or where they can and cannot go.
Financial abuse is when a person tries to control and limit their partner's access to money, so that the partner will be dependent on them.
One example would be if the person discouraged or disallowed the partner to work and make their own money.
Another is if the person takes the partner's money or credit cards and refuses to give them back.