Rape - forced sexual contact that includes penetration of a person’s body.  This may also include penetration of someone’s mouth, vagina and anus (bottom) with any part of their body or an object. This can include someone who tricks you into having sexual intercourse

• Acquaintance rape - sexual assault by someone known
• Stranger rape - sexual assault by someone unknown
• Marital rape -  sexual assault by one spouse to another
• Gang rape - sexual assault by two or more people

Sexual Assault – another term for Rape

Molestation – unwanted touching of a person’s private areas without permission.  Molestation does not include penetration of that person’s body.   Any unwanted touching of the breasts, genitals or buttocks, or with any intent to gratify or arouse the perpetrator

Incest – sexual contact with a relative (father, brother, sister, mother, cousin, aunt, uncle etc..) Incest can range from fondling to intercourse by family members. The offenders are usually in positions of authority and/or trust. Often, this sexual contact is forced from an adult upon a child or teenager

Abuse - Systematic pattern of behaviors in a relationship that are used to gain and/or maintain control and power over another

Mental Abuse - A term for any type of emotional, intellectual or psychological abuse

Verbal Abuse – using words to berate another person either in private or in front of others

Emotional abuse -  includes hurting another person's feelings by saying cruel, unfair comments or by name calling

Psychological abuse -  any verbal threat to destroy property, to do bodily harm to other people, pets, or one's self (suicide). Psychological abuse involves not only hurt and anger, but also fear and degradation.  The purpose of psychological abuse is to render a person emotionally insecure about their own self-worth and to render one helpless and/or not able to escape further physical, sexual and/or psychological abuse

Physical abuse - any forceful or violent physical behavior.  Hitting, excessive spanking, punching, kicking etc… Other behaviors in this category include throwing objects at a person, or using or threatening to use a weapon of any kind (stick, ruler, belt, whip, knife, spoon, gun...etc)

Sexual abuse - any sexual advance, request for sexual favor, and a verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature that is unwelcome and/or offensive to another.  Any non-consenting sexual act or behavior

Spiritual Abuse – includes cutting remarks about someone’s worth to God and / or a Higher Power, thus causing anger, fear and feelings of inadequacies.  Using someone’s spiritual beliefs against a person or belittling someone’s spiritual beliefs

Financial Abuse – a person in power taking someone’s paycheck, not allowing someone to go to work or to school, not allowing someone to have a name on a bank account

Elder Abuse – any type of abuse to a person over the age of 65

Child Abuse – any type of abuse to a person under the age of 18