{"id":831,"date":"2025-01-22T03:32:02","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T03:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/survivors.org\/?p=831"},"modified":"2025-04-17T11:06:59","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T18:06:59","slug":"physical-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/survivors.org\/physical-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Physical Abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Abuse is the act of causing harm or distress, in an attempt to exert control, especially for one\u2019s own advantage or pleasure. Physical abuse is when someone causes any intentional physical harm to someone else or acts in physically threatening ways. 42% of men and women have experienced physical abuse by an intimate partner in their lifetime1<\/sup>, along with 20% of LGBTQIA+ individuals2<\/sup>. Abuse is not always perpetrated by an intimate partner. Anyone can perpetrate physical abuse against someone else, no matter what their relationship is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical abuse is not the only form of abuse<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When people think of domestic violence<\/a> or intimate partner violence<\/a>, they often assume that the abuse is physical. While physical abuse is serious and often the most commonly reported form of abuse, these statistics may be skewed due to response bias, which is when participants of a survey give incorrect or false information. Survivors of other types of intimate partner and domestic violence may not report, because they did not classify what happened as abuse. Physical abuse is recognized more often by others due to physical marks on one\u2019s body or damaged property. It\u2019s important to remember that physical abuse is not the only form of abuse one can experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of physical abuse<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Physical abuse can be either contact or non-contact. It doesn\u2019t have to involve physically harming someone to be considered physical abuse. Behaviors that put someone else\u2019s physical safety at risk are also acts of physical abuse. It is important to note that different jurisdictions have different definitions of what is legally considered to be physical abuse. However, what is and is not illegal does not determine what is right or wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many ways someone can physically abuse someone else. The examples given here are not a complete list and are intended to give an idea of the different ways physical abuse can present itself in a relationship. Perpetrators may also do a number of other things not listed here to physically harm or threaten someone else. If a scenario involving threatened or actualized physical harm is not listed here, it does not mean it is invalid as a form of abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact Physical Abuse<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Contact physical abuse is when someone uses their body or an object to cause physical harm to someone else. Some examples of physical abuse include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n