• Døgnåbent
  • sikker mail
  • SKRIV TIL OS
  • sikker mail
  • SKRIV TIL OS

Forms and signs of violence

Understanding violence

Forms and signs of violence

Violence in close relationships can take many forms, and it is not always easy to recognise. Many people experience multiple forms at the same time, and the violence often develops gradually. The more you know about the different forms, the easier it becomes to recognise them and seek help.

Physical violence

Physical violence is what most people associate with violence. It is violence that leaves marks on the body: punches, pushes, kicks, attempted strangulation, being thrown against a wall, or being threatened with a weapon. Physical violence can have serious health consequences and can, in the worst cases, be fatal. In Denmark, between 12 and 18 women are killed each year by their male partner.

Physical violence is illegal in Denmark. Simple assault can be punished with a fine or up to three years in prison, aggravated assault with up to six years, and particularly serious assault with up to ten years.

Psychological violence

Psychological violence is the most common form of violence in relationships, and it is harder to put into words than physical violence. It is about control: making you do something you do not want to do, or preventing you from doing something you want. It can include direct threats, but also belittling, humiliation, and isolation from friends and family. Over time, psychological violence undermines your self-confidence and your ability to make your own decisions. And there is rarely physical violence without psychological violence in the background.

Psychological violence has been criminalised in Denmark since 2019 and can be punished with up to three years in prison. Negative social control, stalking, latent violence, and digital violence are all forms of psychological violence.

Economic violence

Economic violence is about control over your finances. This can mean being denied access to your own money, being required to hand over your salary, or having to ask for money for basic necessities. It can also involve your partner taking out loans in your name, leaving you with debt you did not create.

Sexualised violence

Sexualised violence covers physical, verbal, and digital acts. It can include being pressured or forced into unwanted sexual activity, being sexually exploited in situations where you are unable to consent, receiving unwanted nude images, or having your own images shared without your consent. Sexualised violence is most often committed by someone you know, and it can have serious psychological consequences. Talk to someone about what you have experienced. You are not alone, and it is not your fault.

Material violence

Material violence is when your partner destroys your belongings: personal possessions, household items, or things that have special meaning to you. It is deliberate and directed at you. He does not destroy his own things, only yours.

Digital violence

Digital violence takes place online and through digital devices and is a form of psychological violence. It can include sharing private material without your consent, surveillance via GPS or apps, control through messages and calls, or harassment on social media.

Stalking

Stalking is persistent and unwanted behaviour that creates fear and insecurity. Individual actions may seem harmless, but when viewed together and in light of the relationship history, they can feel deeply intrusive and disturbing. It can include unwanted attempts at contact, surveillance, or being encountered in places where you should otherwise feel safe.

Coercive control

Coercive control is not in itself a single form of violence, but rather an umbrella term covering many different forms of violence – including physical, psychological, economic, material, digital, and sexual violence. It refers to a pattern of behaviour in which a partner or close relation gradually restricts your independence and freedom of choice through rules, punishment, surveillance, and a constant sense of being controlled.

Gaslighting

Gaslighting is manipulation that makes you doubt your own reality. Your partner denies events that happened, tells you that you remember things incorrectly, or blames you for things you have not done. Over time, this can lead to anxiety, depression, and a deep sense of insecurity about yourself and your own experiences.

 
Read about the cycle of violence
Read about children and violence
Recognize different signs

How to recognise signs of violence in close relationships

Violence in close relationships most often takes place behind closed doors and is surrounded by silence and shame. The person experiencing the violence will often try to hide it from the outside world. This makes it difficult to detect and difficult to talk about. But there are signs to look out for.

Physical signs

Headaches, stomach aches, generally poor and unstable health, unexplained physical injuries, and drastic changes in appearance and body weight. The person may also hide themselves by wearing a lot of clothing and/or heavy makeup, which can be used to cover marks on the body.

Mental signs

Fluctuating mood, low self-esteem, feelings of guilt and shame, anxiety, depression, stress, nervousness, sleep problems, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and symptoms of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

Social signs

Isolation from close relationships, loss of social network, and reduced or inability to maintain work or difficulties cooperating with others. The person may cancel or forget appointments, give unreliable explanations, and refuse help.

Signs in a partner’s behaviour

The person experiencing violence is not allowed to go out alone without their partner, receives frequent phone calls from their partner, and the partner insists on accompanying them, for example to meetings with public authorities.

Open 24/7

How do I get help?

If you believe that you or your children have been exposed to any form of violence, do not hesitate to contact us.

Call our 24/7 hotline: +45 70 77 00 01

Lev uden vold’s hotline 1888

Mødrehjælpens chat or hotline +45 33 45 86 00

Write to us

Skriv sikkert til os

Hos Gaia Krisecenter betyder trygheden og din sikkerhed alt. Vi bruger et sikker mail system, så du trygt kan tage kontakt til os.

Tryk på knappen herunder og du vil blive ført videre til vores sikker mail.

Send en besked
  • Luk menu
  • sikker mail
  • SKRIV TIL OS

Write to us securely

At Gaia Crisis Center, your safety and sense of security are our top priorities. We use a secure email system so you can contact us with confidence.

Click the button below to be directed to our secure email.

Send a message
Støt
Forlad siden