Physical violence causes pain and injury. It may cause death. It may involve pushing, shoving, hitting, slapping, beating with fists or objects, throwing a person down, running her over with a car, twisting arms, biting, stabbing and other use of weapons. Sexual abuse is an attack on one's body and soul. It is a way to debase and degrade another person, by forcing her to engage in sexual acts against her will, or by humiliating her by making her into an object.
Sexual abuse is the ultimate act of taking control of another's body and spirit.
Batterers may attempt to keep their wives or girlfriends from having meaningful contact from people who can support and give her a reality check about the abuse. Batterers may control what she does, who she sees, where she goes, and with whom she spends time. Cutting her off from a community, ideas, and resources allows the abuser to define her world, interpret information, and force acceptance of the closed system that the abuser has created. By doing this, the batterer takes on a more important, powerful position in their partner's life. For women with disabilities, for lesbians, older women, or others marginalized by mainstream society, isolation takes on increased potency.