If You're Experiencing Violence In Your Relationship...

1. Contact Victim Services.
Call 803-777-4215 or email victimhelp@sc.edu. 

2. Consider a protective order.
If you feel you are at risk, consider a restraining order or an order of protection.

If someone is violating a restraining order or order of protection, call 911 immediately and document exactly what happened.

 

Know the Signs

It is important to know that physical violence is never acceptable from another person, under any circumstances.

In relationships, everyone may experience mild feelings of jealousy, or want to check in with their dating partner from time to time. However, when jealousy, obsessive texting and calling, and the desire for constant vigilance dominate the relationship, it may be time for closer examination. These things occur in a pattern, and may build in frequency and intensity over time.

Does Your Partner...

• Act jealous or possessive?
• Put you down or criticize you?
• Try to control where you go, what you do, or what you wear?
• Blame you for the hurtful things they say?
• Threaten to kill or hurt you if you leave them, or threaten the same to themselves?
• Try to stop you from seeing or talking to friends and family?
• Hit, slap, push or kick you?
• Monitor your email or social media profiles?
• Get in your face or otherwise invade your personal space during an argument?
• Coerce, manipulate or force you into sexual acts that you are uncomfortable with or have refused?
• Attempt to degrade or humiliate you in front of others?
• Act in any way that makes you feel controlled, manipulated or harmed?

Your gut can be your best defense. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.

Getting Help

If you recognize any of this behavior or have a bad feeling about the dynamics of your relationship, call Victim Services at 803-777-4215 or email victimhelp@sc.edu.

 

Helping a Friend

Do you suspect your friend is in an abusive relationship? Learn to recognize possible signs.

Does Your Friend's Partner...

• Call them names or put them down in front of others?
• Act extremely jealous when they talk to others, even when the conversation is innocent and platonic?
• Always check up on your friend and demand to know who they have been with and where they have been?
• Lose their temper frequently and maybe even hit or break things?

Does Your Friend...

• Apologize for their partner frequently and make excuses for their behavior?
• Cancel plans at the last minute often and for reasons that sound untrue?
• Seem worried about upsetting their partner or making them angry?
• Give up on things that used to be important to them, such as spending time with friends and family, and is becoming more isolated?
• Appear to be losing weight, or seem to be having a dramatic change in grades or appearance? (These could be signs of depression, which could indicate abuse.)
• Have injuries that they can’t explain, or give an explanation for their injuries that doesn’t make sense?

Getting Help

If you recognize a friend in any of these scenarios, call Victim Services at 803-777-4215 or email victimhelp@sc.edu.

 

Talk to Someone

Individual and group counseling, walk-in appointments and crisis intervention are available Counseling Services.