Conjugal violence: Breaking the silence

Conjugal violence affects all levels of society. If you are the victim of or a witness to conjugal violence, know that help is available in Laval.

What is conjugal violence?

Conjugal violence can happen at any age and involve married couples and common-law partners, people who are dating, and even people who separated. It is generally described as follows:

A person uses a series of strategies and behaviours to exert dominance over their partner.
Physical force or threats may be used. The violent person maintains a relationship of domination through repeated actions, such as criticisms, controlling behaviour or isolation.
The violent person may seek to control the other person’s financial resources.
A cycle of violence whereby the aggressor continuously attempts to thwart all the victim’s reactions in an effort to exert control over them.
It can take different forms, such as psychological violence, including attempts to exert control and domination, as well as physical violence and sexual violence.
It can be experienced at any age and in many types of relationships: conjugal, extra marital, love relationships, intimate relations, or following a separation.

How to identify signs of violence

Victims of conjugal violence may present certain signs:

Difficulty maintaining eye contact.
Presence of bruising, marks at the level of the neck or wrists.
Jumps at the slightest noise, feeling of stress, fear.
Shortness of breath, panic attacks.
Trembling voice or hands.
Nervousness, sweating.
Inappropriate seasonal clothing (scarves, turtlenecks, long-sleeve shirts in summer, glasses used to hide something, etc.).