The criminal justice system does not define your reality; it only defines what it can act on.
If you have been affected by any of the crimes listed below and would like to learn more about your options, there are several paths available. Two options we can offer are to explain what you can do about the abuse, or to contact IGA or other resources for additional assistance. Please click one of the options below if interested. Remember you are not alone in this.
Hitting, slapping, punching, kicking
Choking or strangling (this is taken very seriously in many states)
Burning, biting, or physically restraining you
Throwing objects at you
Preventing you from leaving a room or location
Using weapons or objects to hurt or threaten you
This is abuse by:
Domestic violence laws often cover:
Domestic violence is not “private.”
It’s a recognized category of crime.
Threats of violence against you or others
Threats to report you, deport you, expose you, or ruin your life to control you
Stalking or repeated harassment
Intimidation meant to make you afraid
Isolation by force or threats
Coercive control (using fear, punishment, or surveillance to dominate you)
Not all emotional abuse is criminal, but threats and coercion often are.
Any sexual act without your consent
Sexual acts when you were unconscious, asleep, drugged, or unable to say no
Sexual activity forced through threats, pressure, or fear
Sexual abuse of a child (always illegal, no exceptions)
Sexual acts with someone who had authority over you (teacher, caregiver, religious leader, guard, etc.)
Taking or sharing sexual images of you without consent
Consent must be freely given, not coerced, not extracted, not assumed.
Always Illegal:
Children cannot consent to abuse. Ever.
Preventing you from leaving
Moving you without consent
Holding you somewhere against your will
Forcing labor, sex, or services through fear or control
Taking documents (ID, passport) to trap you
Trafficking does not require crossing borders.
Stealing your money
Forcing you to give up income
Controlling all finances to trap you
Using your identity or credit without permission
Preventing you from working through threats or force
This can overlap with fraud, theft, or exploitation laws.
These behaviors can feel “subtle” at first but often escalate and cause real fear, anxiety, or isolation.
These signs often build gradually and can stem from underlying factors like depression, trauma aftermath, dementia, substance issues, or learned helplessness from prolonged abuse/control.
Often illegal and taken seriously:
Power imbalance matters legally.
