I am worried about my relationship
Does something feel not quite right about a relationship you are in? Whether it’s a romantic relationship or a sibling or caring relationship, domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any age, and sometimes without you initially realising that it’s happening.
Trust your instincts, as many of the initial signs and symptoms of abuse can be subtle, ranging from:
- Isolating you from your friends and family
- Making all the decisions in your life, including what you wear, who you talk to and where you go and when
- Making you do things that you don’t want to do
- Controlling your money
- Following you when you go out
- Stopping you from leaving the house
- Acting in a way that scares you or puts you at harm
- Threatening to kill you, themselves, your children, family, friends, pets, etc
- Being violent and aggressive towards you
To more extreme behaviours:
- Continuously criticising, behind closed doors and in public
- Passing comments about friends and family in a way that makes you not want to see them
- Checking your phone/internet history
- Blaming you for everything
- Checking you are where you say you are, in person or on the phone
If you have concerns about your relationship, you can apply for a police check into your partner’s background. Find out more about the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, known as Clare’s Law.
Take the relationship quiz to find out how healthy your relationship is.
Find out what happens when you ask for help.
Find out more about what an ‘unhealthy relationship’ is.