Domestic violence includes behaviors that physically harm, arouse fear, prevent a partner from doing what they wish, or force them to behave in ways they do not want. It includes the use of physical and sexual violence, threats and intimidation, emotional abuse, and economic deprivation.

Dating violence also can be called domestic violence. Dating and domestic violence are patterns of behaviors in relationships that include a range of abusive actions that serve to set up forceful control of one person over the other. Dating and domestic violence occur in all relationships, young and old, married and unmarried, all economic backgrounds, heterosexual and same-sex. Violence doesn’t discriminate.