Baltimore, MD – Law enforcement officials are urging residents to stay vigilant as they release a comprehensive guide to identifying the subtle and overt signs of domestic abuse.
The Baltimore County Police Department shared a detailed resource Tuesday highlighting 42 specific warning signs of domestic violence to help community members protect themselves and their loved ones. This initiative aims to increase awareness around various forms of mistreatment, including physical, psychological, emotional, and digital abuse. According to the Baltimore County Police Department, these indicators are crucial for recognizing if someone is in an abusive relationship.
The guide categorizes abuse into several distinct types. Physical abuse is identified by actions such as hitting, shoving, or stopping a partner from seeking medical treatment. Psychological and emotional abuse allegedly includes behaviors like gaslighting, constant monitoring of a partner’s whereabouts, and attacking a person’s sense of self-worth.
According to police, financial abuse—such as preventing access to bank accounts—and reproductive coercion are also significant red flags. Digital abuse, which involves using social media to track a partner or demanding sexually explicit content, has also been highlighted as a modern form of harassment. Additionally, signs of stalking, such as spying or calling a victim at their workplace after being told not to, are cited as critical threats to public safety.
For those in immediate danger or seeking help, officials provided contact information for the Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County at 410-828-6390 and the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
