Recognising patterns of abuse
Lesson 2 of 9 in Family Violence Resources & Safe-Disclosure Language · 25 minutes
Abuse is a pattern, not a single bad day. Here are the signs Canadian frontline workers and survivors describe most often — including the kinds of abuse newcomers often face that are easy to miss.
What you'll learn
- Distinguish a pattern of abuse from one-off conflict
- Recognise the six categories of abuse — physical, emotional, sexual, financial, spiritual, and immigration-status
- Identify newcomer-specific abuse patterns (passport withholding, sponsorship threats, cultural-isolation)
From the lesson
Content note
This lesson covers patterns of abuse including emotional manipulation, financial control, and immigration-status abuse. If anything you read makes you recognise yourself or someone you love, help is free and confidential. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. 24/7 help lines: Ontario — Assaulted Women's Helpline 1-866-863-0511; Quebec — SOS violence conjugale 1-800-363-9010; British Columbia and Yukon — VictimLink BC, call or text 1-800-563-0808; Alberta — Family Violence Info Line, call or text 310-1818; anywhere in Canada — call 211 to find local help, in many languages. Lesson 4 lists every province and territory. Privacy: if someone checks your phone or computer, you can…