Physical

Use or threat of physical force

Examples: Hitting, kicking, shoving, attacking with a weapon

Sexual

Limiting individual’s sexual agency

Examples: Unwanted sexual contact (kissing, touching), forced sex, sexual coercion, restricting access to birth control (removes agency from own sexual health)

Emotional & Psychological

Manipulation, controlling partner’s behaviour & agency, and undermining/belittling

Examples: Insulting, threatening, monitoring, isolating, restricting access to friends, and stalking

Cyber

Using technology to engage in dating violence

Examples: Monitoring (e.g. using social media), threatening or harassing online, sexting coercion

Important Stats

  • 1 in 3 Canadian teens experiences dating violence (cite: Journal of Adolescent Health DOI: (10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.01.032)
  • Some acts of violence may be confusing to classify, such as using technology to sexually abuse — the types are a guideline to understand the many ways in which dating violence can occur.
  • When violence is used to control a partner, this is called coercive control and is especially harmful.
  • Individuals may and often do perpetrate more than one type of dating violence within an abusive relationship.

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