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Domestic violence does not discriminate. No one group or individual is immune from the possibility of being or becoming an abuser. Abusers come from all walks of life. They can be plumbers, bankers, doctors, mechanics, store clerks, teachers, lawyers, law enforcement officers, etc. Although they may differ in terms of race, ethnicity, level of education, religion or faith, occupation, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation, abusers generally share certain characteristics and/or background experiences that lead them to behave in violent and abusive ways.

Typically, abusers use physical violence in combination with other tactics to exercise coercive control over a partner. This combination of violence and control is terrorizing for victims. Once abusers demonstrate how much harm they can cause, their controlling actions alone become threatening enough to keep their victims in a state of constant fear. (See “What is Intimate Partner Violence?” for more.)

Could You Be An Abuser…

(To continue reading, please go to http://smartcouples.ifas.ufl.edu/married/domestic-violence-and-abuse/am-i-being-abusive/