Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is when unwanted physical contact is done to the victim in order to inflict pain, injury, or psychological damage. This may include hitting, punching, kicking, spitting, biting, pushing, etc. Batterers may even go as far as to inflict injury to a pet or child in order to force the victim to agree to his or her wishes. Physical abuse is a tool used by the batterer to attempt to gain control over his or her victims. There are several Kansas criminal statutes that may apply:
- Domestic battery;
- Assault;
- Criminal threats;
- Criminal restraint;
- Child abuse;
- Criminal damage to property; and/or
- Animal abuse. This list is in no way exhaustive.
- A detailed description of each statute is available at kslegislature.org.
- Warning signs of physical violence
- People who are being physically abused may:
- Have frequent injuries, with the excuse of “accidents.”
- Frequently miss work, school, or social occasions, without explanation.
- Dress in clothing designed to hide bruises or scars (e.g. wearing long sleeves in the summer or sunglasses indoors). 2