Home > About Domestic Violence > LGBTQ+ and Domestic Violence
At Partners, we know that domestic violence transcends gender identity and sexual orientation. We are here to help victims of all identities.
Domestic violence is more than hitting. Abusive behaviors include:
- Threatening to out you by revealing your sexual orientation or gender identity to family, friends, or colleagues.
- Calling you offensive pronouns, such as “it,” or using intentional misgendering to make you feel inferior.
- Attacking body parts that are related to your identity.
- Controlling your access to hormone treatments.
- Accusing you of cheating and being disloyal.
- Making you feel worthless.
- Hurting you by shaking, restraining, hitting, slapping, choking, or kicking you.
- Intimidating and threatening to hurt you or someone you love.
- Threatening to hurt themselves if they don’t get what they want.
- Trying to control what you do and whom you see.
- Keeping you away from friends and family.
- Pressuring or forcing you into unwanted sex.
- Controlling your access to money.
- Stalking you by constantly calling, texting, emailing, posting on Facebook or Instagram, or following you.

For more information about intimate partner violence, check out our Domestic Violence page.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
In New Jersey, LGBTQ+ relationships are covered under the New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act. This means that a person in an abusive LGBTQ+ relationship can seek protection by filing for a temporary restraining order.
LGBTQ+ Resources:
Get Help
If you are in imminent danger, dial 911.
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Partners provides free legal services to low-income domestic violence and sexual assault victims. To contact us for help:
Phone: 973-233-0111
Text: 732-535-6318
Email: gethelp@pfwj.org
For more information about how Partners might be able to help you, check out our Get Help page.
Power and Control Wheel for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Relationships
The Power and Control Wheel below illustrates the ways that an LGBTQ+ person can be victimized by an intimate partner.

The LGBTQ Power and Control Wheel developed by Roe and Jagodinsky. Adapted from Power and Control Wheel Copyright by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs: 202 East Superior Street, Duluth, MN, 55802