Warning Signs of an Abusive Relationship:
Does someone you love...
Withhold approval or affection as punishment?
Continually criticize you, call you names or shout at you?
Ignore your feelings?
Become very jealous or harass you about imagined affairs?
Manipulate you with lies and contradictions?
Insist you dress a certain way?
Humiliate you in public?
Insult or drive away your family?
Punch, slap, shove, bite, kick, strangle, or hit you?
Rape you or force you to participate in sexual activity which is unacceptable to you?
Threaten to kidnap the children, commit suicide, or kill you or a family member if you leave?

If you answered "yes" even once, you may be in an abusive relationship.

Resources

HELPFUL NUMBERS:
National Domestic Violence Hotline 800.799.7233
Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline 800.422.4453
Elderly Abuse Hotline 800.329.0210
Parent Stress Hotline 800.367.2543
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network 800-656-4673
Suicide Prevention Hotline 800-784-2433

HELPFUL LINKS:
Bolivar Police Department You Have Options Program
Child Advocacy Center
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Isabel's House
Legal Services of SWMO
Missouri Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence (MCADSV)
National Network To End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)
LoveIsNotAbuse.com

Mission Statement:

Polk County House of Hope provides immediate and long-term safety to victims of domestic and sexual violence and their children through a hotline, victims services, emergency shelter or placement in a safe facility, and connection to community resources. We work to prevent future violence through education, intervention, and advocacy at the individual, local, and state level.