Am I in a Battering Relationship?

YES – you may be a BATTERER if you:

          ¨            Are very jealous

¨            Sulk silently when upset

¨            Have an explosive temper

¨            Criticize and put down your partner a lot

¨            Have difficulty expressing feelings

¨            Drink heavily or use drugs

¨            Believe that it is the male role to be in charge, and/or have contempt for women

¨            Are protective of your partner to the point of being controlling

¨            Are controlling of your partner’s behavior, of money, or decisions

¨            Have broken things, thrown things at your partner, hit, shoved, or kicked your partner when angry

¨            Were physically or emotionally abused by a parent

¨            Have a father who abuses (or abused) his wife

YES – you may be a BATTERED women if you:

          ¨            Are frightened of your partner’s temper

¨            Are often compliant because you are afraid to hurt your partner’s feelings or are afraid of your partner’s anger

¨            Have the urge to “rescue” your partner when or because your partner is troubled

¨            Find yourself apologizing to yourself or to others for your partner’s behavior when you are treated badly

¨            Have been hit, kicked, shoved, or had things thrown at you by your partner when jealous or angry

¨            Make decisions about activities and friends according to what your partner wants or how your partner will react

¨            Drink or use drugs

¨            (For some people) have been abused as a child or seen your mother being abused